ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animals: Disease Control

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2007,  Official Report, column 696W, on animals: disease control, how much was allocated to each local authority for animal health and welfare work in each of the last three financial years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The sums made available to each authority in each of the last three financial years are set out in the following table.
	Many authorities underspent significantly against these allocations in either or both of the earlier two years for which outturn figures are available. The cumulative effect of these underspends is shown in the totals given at the foot of the table.
	
		
			  Additional funding allocation by local authority  (£) 
			   2007-08  2006-07  2005-06 
			 Barnsley MBC 23,274 23,065 20,510 
			 Bath and NE Somerset 60,017 66,885 72,000 
			 Bedfordshire CC 48,345 53,716 46,283 
			 Birmingham CC 27,315 31,755 24,252 
			 Blackburn w Darwen BC 6,052 5,904 8,975 
			 Blackpool 385 385 n/a 
			 Blaenau Gwent CBC 16,841 17,818 17,344 
			 Bolton Metro 12,208 13,289 14,576 
			 Bradford MBC 39,080 42,161 46,789 
			 Bridgend CBC 35,462 35,780 75,732 
			 Buckinghamshire CC 88,924 96,900 102,657 
			 Bury MBC 2,901 3,159 4,420 
			 Caerphilly CBC 22,521 27,418 27,175 
			 Calderdale MBC 56,904 49,976 50,692 
			 Cambridgeshire CC 72,975 79,983 80,143 
			 Cardiff CC 7,103 5,474 6,695 
			 Carmarthenshire CC 192,297 192,732 171,162 
			 Ceredigion CC 195,113 218,186 207,801 
			 Cheshire CC 90,640 92,900 69,600 
			 City of London (Chelmsford) 10,180 9,710 10,194 
			 City of London (Reigate) 12,673 11,918 n/a 
			 City of London (Wokingham and Reading) 10,852 n/a n/a 
			 City of York 11,570 13,524 15,258 
			 Conwy CBC 146,084 161,170 70,414 
			 Cornwall CC 140,406 159,756 127,891 
			 Coventry 8,020 8,480 8,370 
			 Cumbria CC 295,443 346,291 317,460 
			 Darlington BC 36,649 39,536 27,696 
			 Denbighshire CC 136,373 148,495 200,852 
			 Derby City 10,952 12,040 6,660 
			 Derbyshire CC 199,112 219,264 215,223 
			 Devon CC 500,733 542,203 522,642 
			 Doncaster MBC 46,456 44,392 45,080 
			 Dorset CC 116,435 136,557 128,533 
			 Dudley 17,874 19,285 17,221 
			 Durham CC 81,567 88,180 73,174 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 209,558 224,750 173,452 
			 East Sussex CC 53,730 52,500 54,182 
			 Essex CC 151,834 158,895 158,451 
			 Flintshire CC 73,991 78,825 79,126 
			 Gateshead 5,748 5,695 5,888 
			 Gloucestershire CC 192,720 219,000 222,456 
			 Gwynedd 130,937 148,802 150,147 
			 Hampshire 38,108 2,657 36,095 
			 Halton 2,657 40,869 n/a 
			 Hartlepool 4,550 5,400 n/a 
			 Herefordshire CC 119,768 128,320 133,320 
			 Hertfordshire CC 26,285 30,120 30,928 
			 Isle of Anglesey CC 96,043 105,718 102,646 
			 Isle of Wight 32,449 33,570 33,490 
			 Kent CC 206,990 226,855 254,832 
			 Kirkless MC 29,657 32,004 26,373 
			 Lancashire CC 340,212 320,736 298,860 
			 Leeds CC 29,049 31,740 33,544 
			 Leicestershire CC 62,932 73,064 72,132 
			 Lincolnshire CC 173,691 178,812 166,129 
			 Medway CC 9,159 8,904 10,680 
			 Merthyr Tydfil CBC 66,856 73,936 60,879 
			 Middlesbrough 936 670 832 
			 Milton Keynes 47,032 49,460 47,706 
			 Monmouthshire CC incl. 128,705 111,862 144,910 
			 Torfean in 2007-08
			 Neath Port Talbot n/a 46,612 45,096 
			 Newcastle CC 35,208 n/a n/a 
			 Newport CC 70,412 77,385 78,578 
			 Norfolk CC 129,284 148,796 54,589 
			 North Lincolnshire 23,522 24,816 28,716 
			 North Somerset C 30,158 33,509 32,980 
			 North Tyneside 12,431 13,512 n/a 
			 North Yorkshire CC 414,691 440,210 431,270 
			 Northamptonshire CC 85,188 103,032 92,37.6 
			 Northumberland CC 178,377 205,133 181,116 
			 Nottinghamshire CC 89,521 104,772 113,435 
			 Oldham MBC 58,098 62,979 44,409 
			 Oxfordshire CC 111,629 120,347 134,374 
			 Pembrokeshire CC 133,658 138,948 135,684 
			 Peterborough 12,668 12,369 12,369 
			 Powys CC 253,260 287,641 279,818 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 9,157 8,405 8,160 
			 Rhondda Cynon Taf 50,659 55,230 54,845 
			 Rochdale 5,357 4,860 6,307 
			 Rotherham MBC 33,188 34,489 32,196 
			 Rutland CC 10,839 11,780 11,550 
			 Sandwell MBC 6,357 6,200 5,925 
			 Sefton CC 4,994 5,690 4,167 
			 Sheffield CC 36,169 39,923 33,620 
			 Shropshire CC 127,332 140,000 134,004 
			 Solihull MBC 18,113 18,960 n/a 
			 Somerset CC 224,469 247,769 225,613 
			 South Gloucester C 66,309 77,924 88,476 
			 South Tyneside 6,662 6,662 n/a 
			 Staffordshire CC 268,767 307,796 325,296 
			 Stockton 13,727 13,641 5,640 
			 Stoke on Trent 8,570 n/a n/a 
			 Suffolk 120,884 140,968 135,480 
			 Sunderland 765 n/a n/a 
			 Surrey CC 132,841 147,547 145,460 
			 Swansea n/a 46,512 29,860 
			 Swindon BC 5,242 5,579 6,373 
			 Tameside MBC 630 1,060 5,900 
			 Telford and Wrekin borough 30,618 2,700 31,063 
			 Torfaen n/a 28,273 27,433 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 23,350 46,512 45,000 
			 Wakefield MBC 29,310 n/a n/a 
			 Walsall MBC 4,424 4,311 3,714 
			 Warrington BC 9,491 11,518 12,647 
			 Warwickshire CC 131,630 145,487 145,008 
			 West Berkshire CC 27,061 28,454 28,375 
			 West Glamorgan 66,416 73,796 n/a 
			 West Sussex CC 44,743 46,597 44,821 
			 Wigan council 9,039 19,260 18,732 
			 Wiltshire CC 60,966 86,724 105,756 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 34,542 38,352 32,041 
			 Wirral n/a 1,296 n/a 
			 Wolverhampton CC 3,959 5,256 5,087 
			 Worcestershire CC 227,709 230,914 227,412 
			 Wrexham CBC 57,237 61,745 59,947 
			 Total allocation 8,564,971 9,335,708 8,843,255 
			 
			 Outturn figure  8.7 million 8.2 million

Departmental Marketing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many posters or displays there are in the offices of his Department and its agencies displaying the names and photographs of Ministers; and what the cost has been of producing such posters or displays in the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: My Department currently has six displays located in its main buildings. DEFRA agencies have no ministerial displays or posters.
	Over the last five years the cost of updating the displays has been £11,000. We have recently begun to replace printed posters and displays with electronic alternatives. These are cheaper to update and have less environmental impact than printed material.

Fisheries

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which measures which he has  (a) introduced and  (b) proposed to the European Commission under (i) Article 8, (ii) Article 9 and (iii) Article 10 of Council Regulation 2371/2002 have been approved; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: In January 2005, the UK invoked Article 9 of Council Regulation 2371/2002. In its proposals, the UK sought a ban on pelagic pair trawling by all member states within 12 nautical miles of the English coast within The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Area VIIE. The European Commission rejected the proposal and the ban on pelagic pair trawling remains applicable to UK vessels only under the South-West Territorial Waters (prohibition of Pair Trawling) Order 2004.

Fisheries

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures which EU Member States have  (a) introduced and  (b) proposed to the European Commission under (i) Article 8, (ii) Article 9 and (iii) Article 10 of Council Regulation 2371/2002 have been approved; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: To the best of my knowledge, none of our neighbouring member states have invoked, or had approved, measures that have a significant effect on the UK fishing industry under Articles 8 and 9 of Council Regulation 2371/2002 . A more complete answer to this question can be obtained from the European Commission as the Article 8 and 9 measures are only notified to the Commission, concerned member states, and the relevant regional advisory council.
	Article 10 measures are applicable solely to fishing vessels flying the flag of the member state invoking the article and are therefore not notifiable to other member states.

Fisheries: Finance

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to allocate funds to UK fishermen until the UK is able to access the European Fisheries Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The previous fisheries grants scheme, the Fisheries Instrument for Financial Guidance (FIFG) is closed to new applications. However, existing projects continue to be funded and I estimate that around £10 million will be paid in 2008.

Fisheries: Public Appointments

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who the Government appointed to each sea fisheries committee in each year since 1997; between which dates each held their position; what the reasons were for each appointment; what  (a) interests and  (b) organisations and groups each appointee represented; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Section 2 of the Sea Fisheries Regulation Act 1966 sets out that persons appointed by the Minister to Sea Fisheries Committees (SFCs) shall be:
	"persons acquainted with the needs and opinions of the fishing interests of that district or as being persons having knowledge of, or expertise in, marine environmental matters."
	All appointments to SFCs made by the Secretary of State last for a four year period. Once appointed, these members are required to represent, in a balanced way, all local fishing and marine environmental interests in the SFC district. Appointees are reminded that they should not regard themselves as representing any one particular interest.

Flood Control: Greater London

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures have been taken to prevent flooding in London since Summer 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: There have been various measures taken throughout London since the summer to reduce the risk of flooding. The Environment Agency led a series of meetings with local London boroughs. It also conducted a series of meetings with the affected local authorities. In addition, the Government Office for London (GOL) led a post-20 July 2007 lessons learned meeting, the outcomes of which will be incorporated into a fundamental check review of the existing London Strategic Flood Response Plan.
	The Environment Agency is also leading an integrated urban drainage pilot in Kingston, funded by DEFRA. This has been developed over the past few months with local authorities and Thames Water and has recommended several ways to address surface water flooding. The Environment Agency and DEFRA will also be feeding into a new Forum 'Drain London' to assess the location and causes of surface water flooding across London and identify solutions.
	Thames Estuary 2100 is an Environment Agency project developing a tidal flood risk management plan for London and the Thames Estuary until the end of the century. The plan will take into account increasing flood risk due to climate change, rising sea-levels, ageing of the existing flood management infrastructure and new development in the defended tidal floodplain.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Finance

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average amount was that a household in England paid to top up a Warm Front grant for energy efficiency measures in 2006; and how many households in England paid to top-up their Warm Front grant in 2006.

Phil Woolas: The average amount that householders paid to top up Warm Front grants in 2006 was £422.08.
	20,143 households in England paid to top up a Warm Front grant during this period.

Productivity: Rural Areas

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the difference in productivity was between the least well performing quartile of rural areas and the English median in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The indicator used to support the public service agreement on productivity (PSA4) monitoring shows that productivity in the least well performing quartile of rural areas was 16.07 per cent. lower than the English median in 2004-05.

Sea Fisheries Committees

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1108W, on sea fisheries committees, how many appointees there are on each sea fisheries committee; what the percentage and number appointed to each Sea Fisheries Committee by  (a) the Government,  (b) local authorities and  (c) other organisations is; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Orders that establish each Sea Fisheries Committee (SFC) district prescribe the total number and breakdown of members on each Committee.
	Members appointed to each SFC by Ministers, local authorities and other organisations, by number and percentage, are as follows:
	
		
			   Appointed by local authorities  Appointed by DEFRA  Appointed by other organisations  Total 
			  SFC  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number 
			 Cornwall 13 50 12 46.15 1 3.84 26 
			 Cumbria 7 50 6 42.86 1 7.14 14 
			 Devon 10 50 9 45 1 5 20 
			 Eastern 10 50 9 45 1 5 20 
			 Isles of Scilly 4 50 4 50 0 0 8 
			 Kent and Essex 12 54.54 9 40.9 1 4.55 22 
			 Northumberland 10 50 9 45 1 5 20 
			 North Eastern 18 50 17 47.22 1 2.77 36 
			 North Western and North Wales 20 52.63 9 23.68 9 23.68 38 
			 Southern 10 50 9 45 1 5 20 
			 Sussex 10 50 9 45 1 5 20 
		
	
	The Environment Agency appoints one member to each SFC, with the exception of the Isles of Scilly. Ministerial appointees to North Western and North Wales SFC are the joint responsibility of DEFRA and the Welsh Ministers. Appointments to South Wales SFC are solely a matter for the Welsh Ministers.
	DEFRA is in the process of appointing new members to fill three vacancies.

Seas and Oceans: Environment Protection

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with officials from  (a) the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform,  (b) the Department for Communities and Local Government and  (c) the Department for Transport in relation to the (i) drafting and (ii) implementation of the proposed Marine Bill.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA Ministers and officials have worked closely with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, the Department for Communities and Local Government, and the Department for Transport on the development of the proposed Marine Bill. We will continue to do so during the Bill's passage through Parliament to ensure that our proposals for new legislation are coherent and compatible.

Water Supply: River Wye

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Severn Trent on the possibility of securing water supply back-up from the River Wye; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: I have not had any such discussions. It is for Severn Trent to consider the need for increasing provision of water in fulfilment of its duties to maintain adequate supplies of water. The company's plan for meeting demand were set out in its 25-year water resources plans, prepared in 2004. The Environment Agency reported on those plans in 'Maintaining Water Supply', which is available from its web site. The plans are to be updated and will be consulted upon later this year.
	Additional abstractions to provide a back-up supply of water, whether from the River Wye or another source, would need to be licensed by the Environment Agency in line with the provisions of the Water Resources Act 1991 (as amended).

White Fish: Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2007,  Official Report, column 1112W, on white fish: conservation, what evidence his Department has received contrary to the advice of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea in 2004 on bass stocks; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Some angling groups including the Bass Anglers' Sportsfishing Society (BASS) have submitted information to counter the advice of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) on bass stocks. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, have assessed the information submitted by BASS and do not believe that it alters their advice to DEFRA that bass stocks appear to be fished sustainably. This is consistent with the most recent ICES advice.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff of the Church Commissioners were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Stuart Bell: This information is not recorded but, by way of a statement, the commissioners invest in technology whenever they believe that this will improve their business efficiency. When they do invest in new equipment, the recipient's gender is irrelevant.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff of the National Audit Office were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Williams: The information requested is set out as follows. This includes SmartPhones which have personal digital assistant (PDA) functionality. For 2006 and 2007 these numbers include more than once those SmartPhones that were issued for staff to test, withdrawn and then reissued. There are currently 20 staff with active SmartPhones.
	
		
			   PDAs and SmartPhones issued to male members of staff  PDAs and SmartPhones issued to female members of staff 
			 2001 0 0 
			 2002 0 0 
			 2003 16 4 
			 2004 0 0 
			 2005 0 0 
			 2006 14 8 
			 2007 12 4

TREASURY

Tax Returns: Online Filing

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the use of on-line filing of tax returns.

Jane Kennedy: Online filing is secure, quicker and more accurate for the customer and HMRC benefits by having better quality data and reduced administration and processing costs.
	By the beginning of January, just under 2 million self assessment returns had been filed online, an increase of 26 per cent. on the same point last year.

International Debt Relief

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further steps he plans to take to advance international debt relief.

Andy Burnham: The UK welcomes recent agreements at the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank to finance Liberia's arrears clearance, paving the way for Liberia to enter the HIPC initiative. The UK will continue to support eligible countries to achieve HIPC debt relief and to qualify for debt cancellation under the multilateral debt relief initiative. The UK is working closely with international partners to address the problem of so-called vulture funds.

Contractors: Monitoring

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contractual mechanisms HM Revenue and Customs has in place to monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of private sector organisations to which it has contracted out work.

Jane Kennedy: HMRC employs a wide range of procedures for monitoring the performance of private sector contractors, on a contract-by-contract basis, following HMRC's good practice guidance.
	Professionally qualified commercial specialists manage these contracts, which are kept under review.

Saving

Anne Begg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government is taking to encourage people to save.

Andy Burnham: Since 1997, the Government have introduced individual savings accounts (ISAs) (now held by one in three adults), and the child trust fund, which will ensure that all children will hold a financial asset at the age of 18. The Government have piloted the saving gateway and is now taking forward feasibility work to enable rollout.
	The Government are also introducing personal accounts to enable individuals on low to medium incomes to save for a pension over their working lives.

10p Tax Rate

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on revenue to the Exchequer arising from the abolition of the 10 pence tax rate; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The yield from removing the 10p starting rate of income tax on non-savings income was published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2007 at line 15 of table A1. Removing the 10p starting rate of income tax was one single aspect of the Budget 2007 package, and should not be looked at in isolation from the other changes announced.

Leitch Report

Si�n Simon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the Leitch report and on the skills base in the UK economy.

Angela Eagle: Discussions about the Leitch report and the importance of skills to economic growth are held at ministerial and official level on a regular basis.
	Investing in education and skills is vital to ensuring our continued success in today's global economy.
	That is why the Government are increasing their investment in improving education and the skills. UK education spending as proportion of GDP projected to increase from 4.7 per cent. in 1996-97 to 5.6 per cent. by 2010-11. Expenditure on higher education and adult skills in England will grow by over 2 billion over the next three years.

Africa: Education for All Initiative

John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the Education for All initiative for Africa; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The UK is a strong supporter of education, with a commitment to provide 8.5 billion for education by 2015; it is the second largest contributor to the Education for All Fast Track Initiative. At the autumn meetings of the G7 and IMFC, Finance Ministers reaffirmed the importance they place on development issues, including education. Treasury Ministers and officials will continue to use every opportunity to promote the UK's development priorities with their international counterparts.

Trade Unions: Provident Funds

David Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the upper limit for tax exempt payments from Trade Unions Provident Funds was last adjusted for inflation; and what plans he has to review the limit.

Jane Kennedy: The tax exemption limits whereby registered trade unions are able to claim relief in respect of certain income and gains used for provident benefits have not been raised since 1991. There are no plans at the current time to raise the limits.

Skills Shortages

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the impact on the UK economy of skills shortages.

Angela Eagle: The independent Leitch Review of Skills found no evidence that skill gaps or shortages have held back economic growth, though it did recommend that the Government raise their ambitions on improving the skills of the workforce.
	The 2007 National Employer Skills Survey conducted by the Learning and Skills Council highlights falls in the proportion of employers reporting skills gaps and the percentage of all vacancies caused by skills shortages.
	The Government are increasing their investment in improving the skills of the population. Expenditure on higher education and adult skills in England will grow by over 2 billion over the next three years.

Capital Gains Tax

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the pre-Budget report proposals for capital gains tax on housing affordability.

Jane Kennedy: The Government take a range of factors into consideration when formulating tax policy, and keep all of the relevant issues under review. The tax regime is just one of a number of factors that influence housing affordability.

Banks: Insolvency

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to bring forward proposals for legislation  (a) on bank insolvency and  (b) to implement the Market Abuse Directive.

Angela Eagle: HM Treasury, the Bank of England and Financial Services Authority published a discussion paper, Banking Reform: Protecting Depositors, in October 2007. Comments on that paper were requested by 5 December 2007. A consultation document outlining proposals for reforms to banking regulation and depositor protection will be published shortly, and will be followed by a 12-week consultation period. I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Chancellor on 21 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 1207-24.

Banks: Standards

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the resilience of the UK banking system; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The FSA has responsibility for assessing the resilience of individual banks and shares responsibility with the Bank of England for maintaining a broad overview of the financial system as a whole. Their views of the risks to financial system are made public, in particular through the Financial Risk Outlook and the Financial Stability report respectively. The chairman and chief executive of the FSA and the Governor and deputy governor of the Bank of England have set out their views on these issues over recent months to the Treasury Committee.

Cost of Living

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the difference between the retail prices index and the rate of inflation experienced by families with an average income.

Angela Eagle: No official estimates have been made of the rate of inflation experienced by families with an average income. However, under the Government's monetary policy framework, inflation has remained close to target and the economy has now experienced 61 consecutive quarters of growth. UK inflation, currently at 2.1 per cent, remains close to target. This stability, alongside record levels of employment, has allowed average real incomes to increase for all income groups since 1997 and aggregate real household disposable income to rise by 25 per cent.

Credit

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the trends in the availability of credit to householders in the last 12 months.

Andy Burnham: The UK economy remains strong and stable and is enjoying its longest period of macro-economic stability on record. The disruption in global financial markets has meant economic prospects have become more uncertain, with the pre-Budget report forecast incorporating some feed-through from financial market disruption to tighter credit conditions. But the UK economy has proved resilient to a number of shocks over the past decade, demonstrating the success of the Government's macro-economic framework and promotion of open and flexible labour, product and capital markets.

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff in his Department were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The current user list for PDAs in core Treasury shows  (a) 59 male users, and  (b) 32 female users. Financial records would only provide the information requested on PDAs purchased from 2001 annually at disproportionate cost.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on fuel duty for motorists, with particular reference to the overall price of fuel and the Government's climate change policy.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers I gave the right hon. Member for East Yorkshire (Mr. Knight) and the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) on 7 January 2008,  Official Report, column 330W.

Government Departments: Property

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 7 January 2008,  Official Report, column 332W, on government departments: property, in what methodological or statistical ways the data in the table placed in the Library differs from the data provided in the answer of 6 January 2008,  Official Report, column 630W, on the same subject.

Angela Eagle: The data in the table placed in the Library in the answer of 7 January 2008,  Official Report , column 332W, gives the total figures for vacant space recorded on e-PIMS as either actual, future or potential.
	The data provided in the answer of 6 January 2008,  Official Report , column 630W, is for vacant space recorded on e-PIMS only as actual, as that is how the question was interpreted.
	The data provided for HM Courts Service, Home Office and Treasury Group is different for the following reasons:
	 HM Courts Service
	e-PIMS is a working database and the latest information available is used in PQ responses. The data provided in the table placed in the Library were the vacant space recorded as at 10 December. The data provided in the subsequent response was the vacant space recorded as at 17 December. On 11 December HM Courts Service entered a total of 7579m(2) vacant space records onto e-PIMS, accounting for the increase in the figure given on 20 December, even though only vacant space marked as actual was included.
	 Home Office
	The data provided in the table placed in the Library gave separate vacant space figures for the Home Office and the national probation directorate, whereas the subsequent response provided the Home Office vacant space inclusive of the national probation directorate.
	 Treasury Group
	Similarly, the table placed in the Library gave separate vacant space figures for HM Treasury and National Savings and Investments whereas the subsequent response combines these in a single figure for the Treasury Group.
	Other small variances are accounted for by the different dates on which information is recorded.

Knowledge Network Project

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance document on using the Knowledge Network software and database.

Angela Eagle: There is no one single, specific guidance document on using the Knowledge Network.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter of 3 December 2007 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. Mavis George.

Jane Kennedy: I replied to the right hon. Member on 22 January 2008.

Population

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely population of the United Kingdom in  (a) 2015,  (b) 2030 and  (c) 2050.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 January 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question regarding what estimate has been made of the likely population of the United Kingdom in (a) 2015, (b) 2030 and (c) 2050. (181126)
	The table below shows the projected total population of the United Kingdom for the years requested. The most recent national population projections, based on the population at the middle of 2006, were published by the Office for National Statistics on 23 October 2007.
	
		
			   Total population (Million) 
			 2015 64.5 
			 2030 70.8 
			 2050 77.0 
		
	
	Projections are uncertain and become increasingly so the further they are carried forward. In addition to the principal (central) projection results given above, variant projections based on alternative assumptions are also published. Details are available at:
	http://www.gad.gov.uk/Demography_data/Population/

Revenue and Customs: Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) data and  (b) physical security measures have been introduced at HM Revenue and Customs offices in Tyne and Wear since October 2007.

Jane Kennedy: HMRC reviews its security measures on an ongoing basis.
	Since October 2007, the offices in Tyne and Wear, in common with all HMRC offices, have implemented HMRC's tighter controls on data security.
	For more detail on these changes, I refer the hon. Member to Kieran Poynter's interim report which was published on 17 December 2007 and is available in the Library of the House.

Revenue and Customs: Disclosure of Information

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason HM Revenue and Customs has failed to respond to requests for information from the Information Commissioner's Office in relation to case ref. number FS50164499 on behalf of the hon. Member for Yeovil; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: HMRC are in continuing dialogue with the Information Commissioner's Office and will be providing a full response in due course.

Skin Cancer

Bruce George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department holds regional figures for five year survival rates for skin cancer.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 January 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking whether regional figures for five year survival rates for skin cancer are available. (181291)
	For England, five-year survival rates are available for adult patients (aged 15-99 years) diagnosed with skin cancer during 1999-2003 and followed up to the end of 2004. These are given in Table 1 and are also available on the National Statistics website.
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=14007Pos=3ColRank=1Rank=422
	Survival rates by NHS region for 58 cancers including skin cancer diagnosed during 1971-90 in England and Wales were published in Cancer Survival Trends* in 1999. Figures for skin cancer, broken down by region are given in Table 2.
	
		
			  Table 1: Five-year age-standardised( 1)  relative survival (percentage) for adults (15 to 99 years) diagnosed with melanoma of the skin( 2)  during 1999 to 2003, followed up to the end of 2004, England 
			Five-year relative survival 
			   Number of patients  Percentage  95 per cent.CI( 3) 
			 Men 13,196 80.4 (79.2-81.7) 
			 Women 17,005 89.4 (88.5-90.3) 
			 (1) As cancer survival varies with age at diagnosis, the relative rates for all ages (15 to 99) have been age-standardised to control for changes in the age profile of cancer patients over time, thus making them comparable with previously published figures. (2) Melanoma of the skin is classified as code C43 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). (3) 95 per cent. confidence intervals (CI).  Source:  Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Five-year age-standardised( 1)  relative survival (percentage) for adults (15 to 99 years) diagnosed with melanoma of the skin( 2 ) during 1986 to 1990, followed up to the end of 1995, England and NHS region 
			   Men  Women 
			 England 68 82 
			 Northern and Yorkshire 69 83 
			 Trent 66 82 
			 Anglia and Oxford 72 82 
			 North Thames 66 83 
			 South Thames 66 82 
			 South and West 70 81 
			 West Midlands 71 84 
			 North and West 63 81 
			 (1) As cancer survival varies with age at diagnosis, the relative rates for all ages (15 to 99) have been age-standardised to control for changes in the age profile of cancer patients over time, thus making them comparable with previously published figures. (2 )Melanoma of the skin is classified as code 172 in the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9).  Sources:  Office for National Statistics Table 4.5: Cancer survival trends by NHS region, selected cancers, patients diagnosed 1971 to 1990: age-standardised relative survival rates (with 95 per cent. confidence intervals) at one and five years after diagnosis, and average increases in relative survival on the National Statistics website http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/xsdataset.asp?More=Y and published in: Coleman MP et al (1999) 'Cancer survival Trends in England and Wales 1971 to 1995: deprivation and NHS region'. Studies in Medical and Population Subjects No.61. London: The Stationery Office.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Michael Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to make a substantive reply to question 175652, on advice on Northern Rock, tabled by the hon. Member for Sevenoaks on 17 December 2007.

Jane Kennedy: Very shortly. The Treasury regrets not having done so earlier.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and which models of helicopter deployed in Afghanistan are fitted with winches.

Bob Ainsworth: All UK Sea King and all UK Chinooks deployed in Afghanistan are equipped with winches.
	I am withholding the number of helicopters deployed as the information would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness and security of the armed forces.

Aircraft Carriers: Procurement

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce a detailed timetable for the Future Aircraft Carrier Programme.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, gave on 7 January 2008,  Official Report, column 21W, to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) on the placement of the manufacture contract for the Future Carrier, and to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) on 7 January 2008,  Official Report, column 20W, on in-service dates.

Armed Forces: Children

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service deaths have occurred where the service parent was in receipt of continuity of education allowance or boarding school allowance at the time of their death since 1997; how many children of deceased service personnel received his Department's financial assistance in these cases; what the total cost has been over that period; how much provision is made in his Department's budget annually for such cases; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Information prior to the roll-out of the joint personnel administration (JPA) could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In the period June 2006 to date, continuity of education allowance (CEA) payments have been made in relation to 15 Service personnel who have died in service. These payments have related to 21 children. The total cost of these payments is 185,000. There is no specific allocation for provision of CEA in cases of death in service. We cannot predict what future payments will be. However, we are committed to making such payments.

Armed Forces: Housing

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets he has set for upgrading service families' accommodation to  (a) S1fC and  (b) S2fC categories under the standard for condition initiative; and when he expects these targets to be met.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 17 January 2008
	This Department has targets only to upgrade Service Families Accommodation (SFA) properties to Standard 1 for Condition (SlfC). We will upgrade a minimum of 600 SFA properties to SlfC in financial years 2007-08 and 2008-09 with a further 800 upgrades planned for each year thereafter.
	This number of upgrades is based on the strategic decision, taken with the support of the armed forces, to focus the programme on upgrading the worst accommodation first which leads to a higher cost per upgrade. Funding in previous years was targeted at delivering a large number of relatively low cost upgrades. In fact the Department has increased the level of funding for upgrading SFA and is making available a further 20 million in 2008-09 and 30 million per annum thereafter.

Armed Forces: Parachuting

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many high altitude  (a) high and  (b) low opening training airborne jumps have been conducted by British service personnel in each year since 2001.

Bob Ainsworth: The number of high altitude, high opening (HAHO), and high altitude, low opening (HALO), airborne jumps that have been conducted by British service personnel while completing service training are shown in the table as follows.
	
		
			  Calendar year  High altitude high opening( 1)  High altitude low opening( 1) 
			 2001 175 220 
			 2002 235 135 
			 2003 395 150 
			 2004 125 550 
			 2005 65 135 
			 2006 100 375 
			 2007 320 525 
			 (1) Numbers rounded to the nearest 5

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many Bulldog vehicles have been  (a) ordered to date and  (b) delivered to UK Land Command;
	(2)  how many Vector armoured fighting vehicles have been  (a) ordered to date and  (b) delivered to UK Land Command;
	(3)  how many Mastiff armoured vehicles have been  (a) ordered to date and  (b) delivered to UK Land Command.

Bob Ainsworth: The number of Bulldog, Vector and Mastiff vehicles ordered to date and delivered to UK Land Command are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Ordered to date  Delivered to UK Land Command 
			 Bulldog 900 411 
			 Vector 178 178 
			 Mastiff 108 104 
		
	
	Bulldog is an upgrade of the FV430 rather than a brand new vehicle. The conversion programme is due to be completed by 31 March 2011.
	The initial tranche of Mastiff deliveries are complete, less four ambulance variants due to be completed and delivered by the end of January 2008. We are ordering an additional tranche of Mastiff vehicles, as announced by the Prime Minister on 7 October 2007.

AWE Burghfield: Floods

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the flood risk to the  (a) High Security Area,  (b) Nuclear Licensed Site Area and  (c) remainder of the site at AWE Burghfield; what flooding has occurred at the site since July 2007; what representations he has received from the Environment Agency since that time; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The risk of flooding is addressed in the nuclear licence safety case for the AWE Burghfield site, which does not differentiate between areas. The safety case assessment concludes that such an event would not compromise safety at the site although there would likely be an impact on business continuity. A programme of review is therefore under way to determine what, if any, improvements might be introduced.
	No flooding has occurred at AWE Burghfield since July 2007. The Environment Agency has made no representations to the MOD on these matters. The nuclear site licensee, AWE plc, continues to advise the regulators of its plans through regular routine engagement.

AWE Management

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) name,  (b) function,  (c) estimated cost and  (d) projected in-service date is of each of the 23 new build projects in the Atomic Weapons Establishment Site Development Context Plan 2005 to 2015.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 7 January 2008,  Official Report, column 29W.

AWE Management: Trident Missiles

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether the Atomic Weapons Establishment manufactured  (a) any new Trident warheads and  (b) any new plutonium pits in 2007;
	(2)  when the Atomic Weapons Establishment plans to end the production of  (a) new Trident warheads of the current design and  (b) new plutonium pits of the current design.

Bob Ainsworth: I am withholding the information requested as its release would or would be, likely to prejudice national security and defence of the UK.

Chad: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether transportation and lodging of military forces in support of the European Security and Defence Policy mission to Chad will be financed by the EU or its member states under the costs lie where they fall principle.

Bob Ainsworth: The EU-led mission to Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) will be funded in accordance with the ATHENA funding mechanism approved by the Council of the European Union in 2004 and as subsequently amended. The mechanism defines which aspects of EU-led military operations are eligible for common funding by member states.
	The incremental costs of deploying elements of the Force HQ to and from the theatre of operations, and associated lodging of Force HQ staff, are eligible for common funding. The costs of deployment and lodging of force elements commanded by the Force HQ are met by the member states that provide the forces on a costs lie where they fall basis. A budget request will be submitted by the Operation Commander for the Chad/CAR operation for scrutiny by the ATHENA Special Committee during January 2008 before a resulting budget is approved.

Defence Equipment and Support Organisation: Finance

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2007,  Official Report, column 774W, on Defence Equipment and Support Organisation: finance, what the reasons are for the difference between the expenditure figure provided against financial year 2006-07 and that declared on the home page of the Defence Equipment and Support Organisation's website.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 21 January 2008
	The rounded 16,000 million annual budget figure for financial year 2006-07, as shown on the Defence Equipment and Support Organisation's website, encompasses both equipment and non-equipment resource expenditure. This includes manpower, overhead costs and indirect non-cash resource costs such as cost of capital charges on assets and depreciation.
	The figure of 12,130 million for financial year 2006-07, as detailed in my answer of 13 December 2007,  Official Report, column 774W, was for spend on equipment programmes only, including expenditure on all equipment additions, equipment support (including Stock Consumption and Post Design Services), PFI Service Charges and IT and Communications.

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff in his Department were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Records of personal digital assistants are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Firearms Act 1968

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  on how many occasions the Defence Council has granted an authority to  (a) possess,  (b) acquire,  (c) manufacture,  (d) transfer and  (e) sell items under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  on how many occasions the Defence Council has revoked an authority to  (a) possess,  (b) acquire,  (c) manufacture,  (d) transfer and  (e) sell items under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Ainsworth: None. The Defence Council has no role in granting or revoking authorities under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968.

Fuels: Finance

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the likely savings to the defence budget achievable through the adoption of fuel hedging.

Bob Ainsworth: Fuel hedging would not in the medium or long term necessarily provide any direct savings to the defence budget. However, it would reduce the impact of price changes.
	Government Accounting precludes the use of fuel hedging to seek savings to the defence budget as this would involve speculation with taxpayers' money.

Land Mines

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what pre-deployment training is provided for  (a) mine detection and  (b) personnel extraction from minefields.

Bob Ainsworth: All personnel deploying either as an individual replacement (IR), or as part of a formed unit undertake extensive training in mine awareness and minefield immediate action drills. These are as follows:
	 (a) a 45 minute lecture on the threat of mines, specific to the theatre they are deploying to;
	 (b) a 60 minute practical lesson (demonstration and practice) at identifying mines or potentially mined areas and how to extract themselves and their team from a minefield or mined area;
	 (c) further opportunities to practise mine awareness and extraction drills including during the Confirmatory Training Exercise at Stanford Training Area (STANTA) where individuals are assessed on their assimilation of these drills;
	 (d) sweep up training focused on areas where weakness or misunderstanding is identified.
	On arrival in theatre, mine awareness and any new theatre specific procedures are revised and practised. This is part of the Reception, Staging and Onward Integration (RSOI) training package.

Military Bases: Strait of Hotmuz

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the implications for UK defence policy of France's decision to create a military base in the Strait of Hotmuz.

Des Browne: On 15 January, President Nicolas Sarkozy signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates which includes plans to create a French military base in Abu Dhabi. There are no implications for UK Defence Policy. France has a long history of defence co-operation in the Gulf region.

NATO: Finance

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Government contributed to NATO's  (a) civil budget,  (b) military budget and  (c) Security Investment Programme in each year since 1997.

Des Browne: The amount contributed by the UK to NATO's civil budget, military budget and the NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP) since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			   million 
			  Financial year  Civil budget( 1)  Military budget( 2)  NSIP( 2) 
			 1997-98 20.400 43.126 36.826 
			 1998-99 16.100 46.021 54.168 
			 1999-2000 16.300 38.529 45.350 
			 2000-01 18.900 36.461 42.915 
			 2001-02 17.900 53.100 62.493 
			 2002-03 18.200 50.000 38.301 
			 2003-04 18.700 36.578 45.813 
			 2004-05 17.600 52.430 55.538 
			 2005-06 17.842 43.926 54.575 
			 2006-07 17.281 56.917 40.959 
			 2007-08(3) 19.470 60.800 51.147 
			 (1) The UK contribution to the NATO civil budget is funded by the FCO (2) Funded by the MOD (3) Current in-year forecast

NATO: Finance

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the UK's contribution to NATO common funding was allocated to NATO's  (a) civil budget,  (b) military budget and  (c) security investment programme in each year since 1997.

Des Browne: The proportion of the UK's total contribution to NATO common funding allocated to the civil budget, military budget and NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP) since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Financial year  Civil budget( 1)  Military budget( 2)  NSIP( 3) 
			 1997-98 20.33 42.97 36.70 
			 1998-99 13.84 39.57 46.57 
			 1999-2000 16.27 38.46 45.27 
			 2000-01 19.23 37.10 43.67 
			 2001-02 13.41 39.78 46.81 
			 2002-03 17.09 46.95 35.96 
			 2003-04 18.50 36.18 45.32 
			 2004-05 14.02 41.75 44.23 
			 2005-06 15.34 37.76 46.90 
			 2006-07 15.01 49.43 35.56 
			 2007-08(4) 14.82 46.26 38.92 
			 (1) The UK contribution to the NATO civil budget is funded by the FCO (2) Funded by the MOD (3) Funded by the MOD (4) Current in-year forecast

Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which military units are allocated for potential deployment with  (a) EU and  (b) NATO missions.

Bob Ainsworth: The allocation of military units for all deployments with EU and NATO missions takes place on a case by case basis via the UK's force generation process, according to national priorities, and drawn from those declared to the Defence Planning process for NATO and the Headline Questionnaire for the EU. Within these forces, some units are held at high readiness and designated for potential deployment with the EU and NATO but these would not deploy without the express consent of the UK Government.
	For EU missions, the UK's contribution to the EU Battle Group roster in the second half of 2008 will be drawn from the Small Scale Focused Intervention Battlegroup element of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force.
	For NATO missions, the UK has agreed to provide a battalion to NATO's Operational Reserve Force (ORF) until the end of 2008. On current plans, up to the end of the first half of 2008, the Spearhead Land Element(SLE) of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) will meet this requirement.
	The UK is also providing a contribution to the NATO Response Force (NRF) throughout 2008 to be drawn as appropriate from the Joint Rapid Reaction Force. From January-June 2008 this will be one carrier and associated aircraft together with an escort ship (a destroyer or frigate); and a deployable air operating base (including four Tornado GR4 aircraft, and associated air-to-air refuelling, airborne early warning, and tactical air transport aircraft). From July-December 2008 the UK's contribution to the NRF will be four air defence aircraft and eight ground attack aircraft together with associated air-to-air refuelling, airborne early warning, and tactical air transport aircraft; and a mine counter measures task group (including a command ship, a destroyer/frigate escort, and a survey vessel).

Prince William

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 887-8W, on Prince William, whether Prince William's training will enable his transfer to an operational commission unit for  (a) fast jet,  (b) multi-engine and  (c) rotary wing aircraft.

Bob Ainsworth: HRH Prince William's attachment to the Royal Air Force is part of a wider programme of events and is designed to prepare him for his future role. It will not be possible in the time available for him to progress to an Operational Conversion Unit for fast jet, multi-engine or rotary wing aircraft before he goes on attachment to the Royal Navy.

Reserve Forces: Mental Health Services

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to provide reservists with operational-related mental health problems with access to NHS healthcare.

Derek Twigg: Any reserve serviceman or woman injured when on operational deployment is entitled to and will receive the same level of medical treatment and support as their regular colleagues. This may include treatment at a military Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH) or admission to the Priory Group. They will continue to receive treatment until they are deemed to have reached a steady state of fitness. They are then demobilised, and taken through a transition from military to NHS care, if they have continuing healthcare needs.
	Once demobilised, it is a long established tradition that reserve forces' medical care becomes the responsibility of their own local NHS primary care trust and the majority of veterans' physical and mental health needs are met by these provisions. However, we recognise that many health professionals may have limited experience of dealing with individuals with mental health symptoms arising from their service experience, and some reservists may be concerned that there will be only limited understanding by GPs of the context of their illness. In these specific circumstances, MOD recognises that it has an expertise to offer, and in November 2006 it launched the Reserves Mental Health Programme (RMHP).
	The RMHP is open to any current or former member of the UK volunteer and regular reserves who has been demobilised since 1 January 2003 following an overseas operational deployment as a reservist, and who believes that the deployment may have adversely affected their mental health. Under the programme, we liaise with the individual's GP and offer a mental health assessment at the Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre (RTMC) in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire. If diagnosed to have a combat-related mental health condition, we then offer out-patient treatment via one of the 15 DCMHs. If more acute cases present, the Defence Medical Services will assist in arranging for access to NHS in-patient treatment.
	In conjunction with the Department of Health, we recently launched the first of a number of community mental health pilots. Each site will have a trained community veterans' mental health therapist. Veterans will be able to access this service directly or through their GP, ex-service organisations, the Veterans' Welfare Service, or Social Service departments. The pilot at the Staffordshire and Shropshire Foundation Healthcare Trust is now open. This will be followed by pilots in Camden and Islington, Cardiff, Middlesbrough, St. Austell and Scotland. If these pilots prove successful the model will be rolled out more widely across the UK.
	As an interim measure, and to assist those veterans not in the catchment areas of one of the new community mental health pilots, we have expanded of our Medical Assessment Programme (MAP) based at St. Thomas' Hospital, London, to include assessment of veterans with mental health symptoms with operational service from 1982 (including veterans of the Falklands campaign).
	Veterans who have recently deployed to Iraq (Operation Telic) and Afghanistan (Operation Herrick) may also attend for a full medical assessment if their Service Medical Officer or General Practitioner thinks it would help. The MAP was established in 1993 for veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf conflict and we encourage veterans worried about their health to attend. The clinician in charge also provides support and advice to GPs and other civilian health professionals requiring advice on the military aspects of treatment.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the Leader of the House how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff in her Office were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: Following a machinery of government change, information prior to 2006-07 is available only at disproportionate cost.
	Since May 2006 two male and two female members of staff have been issued with personal digital assistants.

House Committees: Salary

Frank Field: To ask the Leader of the House which chairmen of House Committees receive a salary in addition to that of an hon. Member to reflect their role as chairman.

Harriet Harman: Under the resolutions of the House of 30 October 2003 and 13 July 2005 relating to pay for chairmen of Select Committees, the chairmen of the departmental Select Committees appointed under Standing Order No. 152, together with the chairmen of the Environmental Audit, European Scrutiny, Public Accounts, Public Administration, Regulatory Reform, Administration, Finance and Services, Liaison, Procedure, Selection and Standards and Privileges Select Committees, and the chairmen of the Joint Committees on Human Rights and on Statutory Instruments, receive an additional salary in respect of their role as chairmen. A total of 31 hon. Members receive such a salary.
	Under the Resolution of the House of 13 July relating to pay for chairmen of Standing Committees (now General Committees), the members of the Chairmen's Panelin addition to the three Deputy Speakers also receive an additional (graduated) salary, unless they are already in receipt of such a salary as chairman of a Select Committee. A total of 32 hon. Members receive such a salary.

Timetabling of Bills

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Leader of the House if she will commission and publish an independent assessment of the effect of programming on the passage of Government legislation, including information on  (a) the number of Government amendments made at Third Reading in the House of Lords and  (b) the length of time taken between introduction and enactment of Government bills (i) in the last three years and (ii) in the last three years before the introduction of programming.

Harriet Harman: The effect of programming of Government legislation has been the subject of number of reports by the Modernisation and Procedure Committees of the House and therefore it is not proposed to commission an independent audit.
	The total number of amendments, including Government amendments, to Government Bills at Lords Third Reading in the following Sessions were:
	
		
			  Session  Number 
			 2006-07 80 
			 2005-06 440 
			 2004-05 119 
			 2003-04 428 
			 2002-03 540 
			 2001-02 306 
			 2000-01 56 
			 1999-2000 741 
			 1998-99 460 
			 1997-98 412 
			  Source: House of Lords Public Bill Sessional Statistics 
		
	
	These figures are not broken down into 'Government' and 'non-Government' amendments, and it is important to remember that some amendments might have been tabled by a non-Government peer but inspired by the Government and that some amendments may have been tabled by the Government but in response to concerns raised by an MP or peer.
	Information about the interval between introduction and enactment of legislation for Government Bills in previous Sessions is a matter of public record, which is contained in the Library's Sessional Information Digests available at:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmsid.htm

WALES

Capita

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: My Department has no contracts with Capita Group plc or its subsidiaries.

Departmental ICT

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the  (a) start date,  (b) original planned completion date,  (c) current expected completion date,  (d) planned cost and  (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: My Department began work, in November 2007, on the development of new English and Welsh language websites.
	The original completion date for the sites was the end of December 2007, however following revisions, the new websites are due to be launched by the end of January 2008.
	The planned cost of the project is 29,611.

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff in his Department were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: My Department has not issued staff members with personal digital assistants.

Picture Financial Group

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings he has had in a ministerial capacity with representatives of Picture Financial Group in the last 12 months; what the date of each meeting was; who was present at each meeting; and what the purpose of each meeting was.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Ministers meet many people as part of the process of policy development and advice. It is not the usual practice of Government to disclose details of such meetings.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour: Prosecutions

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 there have been for  (a) noise,  (b) graffiti and fly-posting and  (c) waste and litter in (i) each local authority and (ii) each police authority area, broken down by basic command unit, in each region of England and Wales in each year since the introduction of the powers.

Jonathan R Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The offences in the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 include graffiti and fly-posting. Other offences are taken under different legislation.
	The number of prosecutions taken at magistrates courts is held by the Ministry of Justice. The offence class of 'other' criminal damage includes, but cannot separately identify, offences of graffiti. Data on fly-posting offences cannot be separately identified from the data held by the Ministry of Justice.
	
		
			  Prosecutions for 'other' criminal damage 
			  Police force area  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  England 
			 Avon and Somerset 814 652 576 240 
			 Bedfordshire 35 58 53 206 
			 Cambridgeshire 309 252 233 152 
			 Cheshire 12 51 51 177 
			 City of London 16 11  11 
			 Cleveland 162 75 29 12 
			 Cumbria 28 49 91 83 
			 Derbyshire 362 346 244 185 
			 Devon and Cornwall 12 6 63 1,016 
			 Dorset 2  2 4 
			 Durham 195 156 76 88 
			 Essex 565 522 561 486 
			 Gloucestershire 141 162 178 245 
			 Greater Manchester 1,329 1,467 1,424 1,457 
			 Hampshire 667 767 374 510 
			 Hertfordshire 48 135 189 108 
			 Humberside 39 185 90 81 
			 Kent 539 718 656 713 
			 Lancashire 25 24 39 183 
			 Leicestershire 67 81 91 62 
			 Lincolnshire 9 68 95 106 
			 Merseyside 271 201 70 85 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,970 1,798 1,465 1,422 
			 Norfolk 362 318 356 245 
			 North Yorkshire 241 372 365 305 
			 Northamptonshire 299 259 289 308 
			 Northumbria 14 11 15 29 
			 Nottinghamshire 14 10 136 200 
			 South Yorkshire 404 422 442 412 
			 Staffordshire 615^ 551 543 520 
			 Suffolk 14 52 168 417 
			 Surrey 93 72 196 404 
			 Sussex 587 367 463 513 
			 Thames Valley 478 370 410 356 
			 Warwickshire 81 59 42 22 
			 West Mercia 102 145 162 161 
			 West Midlands 1,269 1,409 1,090 1,024 
			 West Yorkshire 467 441 440 410 
			 Wiltshire 85 61 68 44 
			  
			  Wales 
			 Dyfed-Powys 9 11 15. 10 
			 Gwent 345 223 74 98 
			 North Wales 297 326 378 315 
			 South Wales 459 96 66 53 
		
	
	DEFRA collects data annually from local authorities on Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs). FPNs can be issued by local authorities for graffiti and fly-posting offences. A FPN can be offered as an alternative to prosecution but prosecution can still be taken in instances of non-payment of a FPN. Police Community Support Officers can issue FPNs if they have the relevant approval; such notices are issued on a local authority's behalf, and are incorporated into the local authority's figures. For ease of reference, nil returns have been omitted from the following tables, which include the number of prosecutions taken following non-payment of FPNs.
	
		
			  FPNs for graffiti 
			  Offence: graffiti 
			  Local authority  Prosecutions following non payment 
			  Reporting period: April 2006 to March 2007  
			 Gateshead BC 1 
			 Kingston upon Hull City Council 1 
			 Sandwell BC 2 
			   
			  Reporting period: April 2005 to March 2006  
			 Gateshead BC 5 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne CC 2 
			   
			  Reporting period: April 2004 to March 2005  
			 Newcastle upon Tyne CC  
			  2 
		
	
	
		
			  FPNs for fly-posting 
			  Offence: fly-posting 
			  Local authority  Prosecutions following non payment 
			  Reporting period: April 2006 to March 2007  
			 Canterbury CC 1 
			 Castle Point DC 2 
			 LB Bexley 20 
			 LB Ealing 5 
			 Manchester CC 4 
			 Milton Keynes BC 1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne CC 1 
			 Nottingham CC 1 
			 Peterborough CC 14 
			 Rochdale BC 8 
			 S Ribble BC 2 
			 Selby DC 1 
			 Sheffield CC 2 
			 Solihull BC 1 
			 Thurrock BC 1 
			   
			  Reporting period: April 2005 to March 2006  
			 Nottingham CC 1 
			 Peterborough CC 1 
			 Solihull BC 1 
			 Southampton CC 1 
			 Tameside BC 3 
			   
			  Reporting period: April 2004 to March 2005  
			 Cheltenham BC 2 
			 Gloucester CC 1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne CC 2 
			 Thurrock BC 1 
			 Westminster CC 7 
		
	
	The House Library has been furnished with data on prosecutions and fixed penalty notices issued for other offences under the relevant legislation.
	The data are also currently published online.

Firearms

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to attend the summit on Firearms Law Reform.

Vernon Coaker: I am currently considering a letter about the proposed summit and will respond shortly to the Scottish Executive.

Forensic Science Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed by the Forensic Science Service in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what staff turnover was in each such year.

Meg Hillier: holding answer 13 December 2007
	The Forensic Science Service has supplied the information in the following table.
	
		
			  FSS headcount and  s taff turnover 
			   Average number of staff in year  Percentage turnover (leavers/av staff x 100) 
			 2002-03 2,729 15.57 
			 2003-04 2,697 7.26 
			 2004-05 2,642 7.08 
			 2005-06 2,503 12.66 
			 2006-07 2,431 25.05 
			  Source s : 2002-03, 2003-04, 2006-07: Annual report 2004-05, 2005-06: Performance report

Passports: Fraud

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fraudulent passport applications were made in the last 12 months; and how many of those applications involved  (a) identity theft and  (b) false declarations where the individual was otherwise entitled to a passport.

Meg Hillier: Because of the nature of fraud it is only possible to estimate the number of fraudulent passport applications the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) receives.
	During the period 31 October 2005 to 30 September 2006, a sample of several thousand applications were scrutinised by specialist IPS teams with support from fraud investigators. This found that 0.25 per cent. of applications (or 16,500 cases) were believed to be from people attempting to obtain a passport fraudulently when they were not entitled to them. In a further 1.61 per cent. of applications (or 105,000 cases) there was some element of false declaration on the part of passport applicants but the identity of these individuals and their eligibility for passport services was not otherwise in doubt.
	It must be emphasised that these figures are an estimate and the result of one sampling exercise. IPS does, however, intend to undertake sampling of this type routinely and is currently engaged in a second exercise which is due to complete by April 2008.
	It is because of this level of attempted fraud that IPS has introduced over recent years such measures as checking identity information against public and private sector databases and interviews for adult first time passport applicants.

Police: Forensic Science Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what obligations her Department places on police forces and authorities in relation to the procurement of forensic science services.

Meg Hillier: holding answer 13 December 2007
	Procurement of forensic services is a matter for individual police forces. The Home Office has placed no obligations on forces or authorities in relation to that procurement.

Terrorism: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will commission research to identify sites in Cumbria which may be used for illegal purposes within the meaning of the Terrorism Act 2006.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 21 January 2008
	We have no plans to do so.

TRANSPORT

Dartford Tunnel: Fees and Charges

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what basis it was decided which local areas to include in her consultation on the Dartford river crossing local discount scheme; if she will include Castle Point residents in that consultation; when the consultation will begin and end; whether the consultation will include public meetings; and how the consultation will be conducted.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 22 January 2008
	A consultation on a discount scheme for local residents will be announced shortly and our detailed proposals wilt be set out in that document.
	We have no plans to hold public meetings but the consultation document will be widely available via our website, and we will welcome responses from all interested parties regardless of where they live.

Departmental ICT

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the  (a) start date,  (b) original planned completion date,  (c) current expected completion date,  (d) planned cost and  (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by her Department and its agencies; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport is currently undertaking a number of IT projects to enable us to provide better services to our customers or improve the efficiency of our operations. Detailed information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information on the key IT projects that are monitored and reported on centrally under the DfT's Investment Appraisal Framework is set out as follows.
	
		
			  Department/Agency  Project name  Start date  Original planned completion date  Expected completion date  Originally planned costs ( million)  Estimated costs ( million) 
			 DfT(1) Shared Services Programme April 2005 April 2009 April 2009 31 123 
			 VOSA(2) Commercial Customer Portal January 2004 December 2005 January 2009 9.5 16.7 
			 VOSA(3) Operator Annual Test: E-Test Bookings January 2004 December 2005 January 2009 8.4 16.8 
			 VOSA(4, 5) Mobile Compliance: providing mobile compliance devices to Enforcement Officers March 2003 December 2004 March 2008 7.91 10.8 
			 DVLA(6, 7) Driver Licensing: Drivers Re-engineering Project (DRP) phase 2 August 2003 September 2008 December 2008 109 103.7 
			 DVLA(8) Smart tachograph project July 2000 May 2002 June 2005 13.2 15.1 
			 DVLA(9) Vehicles System Software (VSS) Replatforming January 2005 July 2006, but agreement made with DVO to move date to November 2006 December 2007 8.4 13 
			 DVLA(9) Driver Licence Upgrade (DLUP) July 2004 June 2007 March 2008 21.8 16 
			 DVLA(10) Vehicle Integration Northern Ireland August 2006 November 2008 Second half 2009 23 21.3 
			 DVLA Driver Licence Ten Year Renewals Phase 1 July 2007 May 2008 June 2008 13.3 13.3 
			 DSA Integrated Register of Driver Trainers (IRDT) October 2003 January 2006 February 2007 1.5 3.5 
			 HA Traffic Control Centre: PPP service; providing co-ordinated real time information on traffic conditions across most strategic road network August 2001 August 2011 August 2011 160 over 10 years 160 over 10 years 
			 HA(11, 12) Electronic Service Delivery of Abnormal Loads (ESDAL) April 2004 August 2006 Development June 2009 Development 8.6 Development 9.64 Development 
			July 2008 Operation June 2011 Operation 1.21 Operation 1.21 Operation 
			 (1) Latest estimate subject to satisfactory business case for remainder of the programme. (2) The scope of the portal project has increased since original approval to include new elements such as the adoption of sophisticated data integration and management applications. (3) The scope of E-test bookings has increased since original approval to include a multi-channel solution. (4 )The difference in completion date is due to an increase in project scope to include fixed penalties. (5) Original planned costs for mobile compliance did not include staff costs however, estimated costs to complete include staff costs from April 2005. (6) The previous parliamentary answer of 16 July 2004,  Official Report, columns 1387-88W, only relates to phase 1. The cost of 37 million with a delivery date of December 2005 was achieved within approved funding. These details have been updated to include phase 2. (7) The estimated completion date is currently subject to change pending a current re-scoping exercise. (8 )Smart Tachograph Projectcost variation due to Tachonet implementation, increasing project scope to meet EU legislation requirements. (9) Vehicles System Software Replatforming, Driver Licence Upgrade and slippage due to six month New System Landscape freeze with subsequent replanning activities and rescheduled release slots. (10) Original planned completion date is subject to Business Case approval. (11) The estimated development completion date has increased after re-evaluation of outstanding requirements and subsequent agreement of rebaselined milestone programme. (12) The two-year fixed operational period will commence after completion of development. The change of end date for operations reflects the new programme.

Driving Tests: Personal Records

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date Ministers in her Department were notified that a computer hard drive containing details of three million learner drivers had been mislaid by Pearson Driving Assessments.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The former Minister of State, the hon. Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman) was told of the incident on 4 June 2007. The present Secretary of State was informed on 28 November 2007.

Heathrow Airport: Noise

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fines have been issued for breaches of aircraft following noise preferential routes at Heathrow airport in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 17 January 2008
	At Heathrow airport departing aircraft have to follow noise preferential routes (NPRs) until they reach 4,000 ft, or are directed off the NPRs by air traffic control for safety or efficient air traffic management reasons. These routes are designed to avoid over flight of built-up areas by departing aircraft while under 4,000 ft, wherever possible. Aircraft which deviate outside an NPR swathe (which extends approximately 1.5 km each side of a nominal centre line) while under 4,000 ft are considered to be flying off track.
	The airport monitors track keeping as a noise mitigation measure. Track keeping performance is kept constantly under review and reported regularly to the Airport's Noise and Track Keeping Working Group on which local residents are represented by a number of organisations. In addition, the airport continues to work with NATS, airlines and representatives of the local community to consider whether further improvements can be made.
	Since the introduction of the airport's noise and track keeping system which enabled monitoring, track keeping has improved from around 85 per cent. to around 96 per cent. Given this high level of airline performance and the fact that some of the remaining 4 per cent. is due to instances where air traffic control have directed aircraft off the NPRs, at this stage it has not proved necessary to introduce a financial penalty system.

Ice Prince

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures her Department has taken to monitor the route of the floating timber lost from the Ice Prince; what system there is for warning shipping, sailors and swimmers of additional risk; what estimate she has made of the cost of removing the timber from beaches; which organisations are responsible for meeting the clear up costs; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Following the sinking of the Ice Prince on 15 January, the wreck site and the floating timber was under daily surveillance by MCA aircraft, and vessels in the area were requested to report sightings to the Coastguard. Navigation warnings to shipping, detailing location and heading, were then broadcast by coastguard stations along the south coast and the French Prfet Maritime. Information was also being broadcast to shipping via the Dover channel navigation information system.
	Media alerts were issued by the MCA in conjunction with local authorities and police to warn members of the public of the risk of engaging in any recreational activities close to the timber.
	The owners/insurers of the Ice Prince have appointed a contractor to remove the timber from the shoreline and will bear the associated costs of the clear up.

Roads: Accidents

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents occurred in each county in the UK in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by the  (a) day of the week and  (b) time of day on which the accident occurred.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 22 January 2008
	Tables showing the number of reported personal injury road accidents in each county in Great Britain for 2002 to 2006 by  (a) day of the week and  (b) time of day on which the accident occurred have been deposited in the Libraries of the House.

Trains: Standards

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2008,  Official Report, column 700W, on trains: standards, who undertook the study commissioned and funded by South West Trains; what the terms of reference of the study were; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The Department did not commission the report. The hon. Member should direct his queries to:
	Stagecoach South Western Trains Ltd.
	Floor 6, Friars Bridge Court
	41- 45 Blackfriars road
	London
	SE1 8N2

WORK AND PENSIONS

Departmental Marketing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many posters or displays there are in the offices of his Department and its agencies displaying the names and photographs of Ministers; and what the cost has been of producing such posters or displays in the last five years.

Anne McGuire: When photographs of Ministers are used by DWP internal communications, they have been for organograms. Two have been produced during this periodone in 2004 which included photographs of DWP's executive team and Ministers at a cost of 1,200 and another in 2007 which included DWP's executive team and Ministers at a cost of 700. Research conducted since then has indicated a staff preference for organisation charts to be available electronically and these are now being produced by DWP internal communications at no cost to the Department.

Disability Living Allowance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the take-up rate of disability living allowance was for  (a) children under 16 and  (b) children under 18 in full-time education, broken down by (i) region and (ii) ethnicity in the last period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the take-up rate of attendance allowance was amongst  (a) children under 16 and  (b) children under 18 in full-time education, broken down by (i) region and (ii) ethnicity in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what the take-up rate of disability related benefits was amongst  (a) children under 16 and  (b) children under 18 in full-time education, broken down by (i) benefit, (ii) region and (iii) ethnicity in the last period for which figures are available.

Anne McGuire: Attendance allowance provides targeted help with the extra costs of disability for people who become disabled after the age of 65. For those under 65, disability living allowance can be claimed for help with extra costs. Estimates of the take-up rate of both these disability benefits are not available.

Disability Living Allowance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the merits of increasing the age limit for claiming disability living allowance in line with the increase in state pension age.

Anne McGuire: Disability living allowance (DLA) is available to people up to age 65 who make a claim for help with their care or mobility needs. There is no need to increase the age limit for claiming DLA to take account in the increase in the state pension age for women from 2010.
	Provisions for increasing the age limits for DLA and attendance allowance (AA) from 2024 were included in the Pensions Act 2007. Raising the DLA/AA age limits at the same time as each of the increases in state pension age from 2024 is a logical step to ensure that all working age disabled people who can claim help with their disability-related costs continue to have access to the extra help provided by DLA.

National Insurance: Travelling People

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people from the traveller community are registered with a national insurance number.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available because we do not need to know whether people are from the traveller community in order to issue a National Insurance number.

Parliamentary Questions: Government Responses

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to reply to Question 171550, tabled on 29 November 2007 by the hon. Member for Cardiff Central for answer on 4 December; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 7 January 2008
	I replied to the hon. Member's question on 17 December 2007.  Official Report, column 934W.

Pensions Forecasts

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of people that will receive pension forecasts from his Department in each year until 2050, broken down by  (a) age and  (b) ethnicity.

Mike O'Brien: This information is not available. Pension forecast volumes are correlated to customer demand, which makes it difficult to estimate future service usage.
	We are also currently considering the role pension forecasts should play within the wider information and communication strategy that underpins and our pensions reforms.
	We recognise that individuals will need access to relevant and accurate information when they are auto-enrolled, as they would in any other circumstances where they are making decisions about their retirement.
	We are developing a strategy that ensures individuals are equipped with the necessary facts and understanding, so that they are able to make appropriate decisions about their retirement planning.

Pensions: Hampshire

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the take up rate for pension credit was in each constituency in  (a) Hampshire,  (b) Portsmouth and  (c) Southampton in each of the last three years.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 22 January  2008
	Estimates of eligibility and take-up are not available below the level of Great Britain. It is not therefore possible to say what the take-up rate for pension credit is in each constituency in Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton.
	Latest estimates of take-up rates for pension credit in Great Britain were published in the Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2005/06 report. A copy of this report is available in the Library.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was recovered from those successfully prosecuted by the Fraud Investigation Service in each of the last five financial years.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the requested format.

Winter Fuel Payments

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on  (a) the adequacy of and  (b) changing the winter fuel allowance in light of increasing fuel prices; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Government keep all tax and welfare policies under review and any changes are considered as part of the normal Budget and Spending Review processes.

Winter Fuel Payments

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average percentage of pensioners' energy bills that will be met by the winter fuel allowance this year.

Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander) on 6 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1512W.

Winter Fuel Payments: North West Region

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the  (a) number and  (b) percentage of pensioner households eligible for the winter fuel allowance in (i) Cheadle Constituency, (ii) Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council and (iii) the North West.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is not available. We can only assess eligibility for those people who are in contact with the Department and whose circumstances are known. The vast majority of winter fuel payments are made automatically without the need to claim, but those people whose circumstances we are not already aware of, for instance because they are not on state pension or other benefits administered by DWP, would need to make a claim so that their eligibility can be assessed.
	The following table shows the number of winter fuel payments made to households in the Cheadle constituency, Stockport metropolitan borough council and the North West in winter 2006-07. Figures for winter 2007-08 are not yet available but we expect the numbers to be similar.
	
		
			  Household payments made 
			   Cheadle constituency  Stockport metropolitan borough council  North West 
			 2006-07 14,960 44,480 1,027,700 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Parliamentary constituencies, metropolitan borough councils and Government office regions are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. 3. The figures refer only to the main payment run so they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid in late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). Since most of the payment runs are to people who are not receiving another benefit from DWP and whose claims had not been received by the qualifying week, most are men aged 60 to 64.  Source: Information directorate 100 per cent. data.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Crime

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many recorded rape offences in Northern Ireland, including attempted rape, led to convictions in each of the last 10 years, broken down by  (a) age and  (b) gender of the victims.

Paul Goggins: The information is not available in the requested format. At present Northern Ireland court proceedings and sentencing data sources do not include victim information in relation to the commission of an offence.
	Table 1 shows the number of recorded rape offences (including attempted rape) from 1998-99 by age group and gender of victim while table 2 outlines the number of prosecutions and convictions for rape offences (including attempted rape) for the calendar years 1996 to 2005 (the latest available years). Court data are collated on the principal offence rule; so only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	Recorded crime data cannot be routinely reconciled with prosecution and conviction data as the former relate to the number of offences whereas the latter relate to the number of offenders brought before the courts. In addition, recorded crime data denote each offence as it has been initially recorded and this may differ from the offence for which a suspect or suspects are subsequently proceeded against in the courts.
	Government are committed to improving the rates of successful prosecution in rape cases. Specialist police units, staffed by highly skilled and trained personnel, are dedicated to enhancing the service to victims of rape and sexual assault and both PSNI and the Public Prosecution Service are seeking to develop models of best investigative practice so that more offences can achieve the threshold for prosecution.
	The Northern Ireland Office and the Department of Health and Social and Personal Services have also jointly developed, and consulted on, a Draft Regional Strategy for addressing Sexual Violence in Northern Ireland which will address these issues through a robust action plan delivering on strategic objectives in three key areascrime prevention, better victim support and improved protection and justice measures. The Strategy is to be published this spring.
	
		
			  Table 1: Recorded rape or attempted rape offences by age and gender of victim 1997-98 to 2006-07 
			   Age under 18  Age 18-64  Age 65+  Age unknown  All ages 
			  1997-98  
			 Male  
			 Female 118 149 0 4 271 
			 Total 118 149 0 4 271 
			  1998-99  
			 Male  
			 Female 135 171 3 15 324 
			 Total 135 171 3 15 324 
			  1999-2000  
			 Male  
			 Female 131 160 1 19 311 
			 Total 131 160 1 19 311 
			  2000-01  
			 Male  
			 Female 95 125 1 11 232 
			 Total 95 125 1 11 232 
			  2001-02  
			 Male  
			 Female 108 179 0 5 292 
			 Total 108 179 0 5 292 
			  2002-03  
			 Male  
			 Female 164 192 0 1 357 
			 Total 164 192 0 1 357 
			  2003 - 04( 1)  
			 Male 5 0 1 0 6 
			 Female 165 222 2 0 389 
			 Total 170 222 3 0 395 
			  2004-05  
			 Male 9 7 0 1 17 
			 Female 157 204 2 0 363 
			 Total 166 211 2 1 380 
			  2005-06  
			 Male 20 15 0 0 35 
			 Female 134 218 3 1 356 
			 Total 154 233 3 1 391 
			  2006-07  
			 Male 27 20 0 0 47 
			 Female 151 257 1 1 410 
			 Total 178 277 1 1 457 
			 (1) Prior to a change in legislation which took place during 2003/04, males could not be classed as victims of rape.  Source:  Central Statistics Unit, PSN1 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of prosecutions and convictions for rape or attempted rape 1996-2005 
			   Prosecutions  Convictions 
			 1996 69 15 
			 1997 61 21 
			 1998 48 18 
			 1999 36 8 
			 2000 26 10 
			 2001 34 17 
			 2002 30 10 
			 2003 31 10 
			 2004 37 18 
			 2005 30 8 
			  Source:  NIO Statistics and Research Branch

Demonstrations

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Parades Commission has met the organisers of the Gay Pride parade held in Belfast on 4 August 2007.

Paul Goggins: The organiser of the 2007 Belfast Pride parade has met with the Parade Commission's Authorised Officers to review the event. A follow-up meeting between the parade organiser and the full Parades Commission is scheduled for 30 January 2008 to discuss the matter further.

Departmental Marketing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what products featuring departmental or Government branding were procured by his Department in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: Products featuring departmental or Government branding which were procured by the Northern Ireland Office in the last five years are listed as follows:
	Delegate Packs
	Back drops
	Pens
	Pads
	Coasters
	Folders
	Compliment Slips
	Business Cards
	Name Badges
	Headed Paper and
	Christmas Cards.

Departmental Marketing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many posters or displays there are in the offices of his Department and its agencies displaying the names and photographs of Ministers; and what the cost has been of producing such posters or displays in the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: There are no such displays in my departmental buildings.

Police: Roman Catholicism

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what he expects the percentage of Roman Catholics in the police in Northern Ireland to be by March 2008.

Paul Goggins: I am advised that as of 15 January 2008, the forecasted figure for Catholic representation of regular officers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland at the end of March 2008 is 23.97 per cent. The current Catholic composition within PSNI regulars is 23.62 per cent.
	We are committed to reaching our objective of 30 per cent. Catholic composition in the PSNI regulars by 2010-11.

Prisoners Release: Foreigners

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many convicted foreign national prisoners were released from prisons in Northern Ireland in the last year.

Paul Goggins: The total number of convicted foreign national prisoners released from prisons in Northern Ireland between 14 January 2007 and 14 January 2008 was 122.
	The following breakdown shows the reason for release.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Released Time Served (Fine defaulter) 59 
			 Released Time Served (Sentenced prisoner) 24 
			 Discharged at Court (Time Served on Remand) 17 
			 Discharged at Court (Non-custodial sentence) 15 
			 Released fine paid (Fine defaulter) 7 
		
	
	The details of all these prisoners were bought to the attention of the Border and Immigration Agency in line with guidance agreed between the Northern Ireland Prison Service and the Border and Immigration Agency.

Prisoners: Costs

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average running cost is expected to be of providing a prisoner place in Northern Ireland in 2008.

Paul Goggins: The cost per prisoner place (CPPP) target for 2008-09 is 81,500. The projected outturn for the current year is around 82,000 which is down from the outturn 90,298 in 2006-07.
	The Northern Ireland Prison Service has worked hard on implementing the various strands of the three-year efficiency package and this will contribute to yielding significant financial savings that will assist NIPS in meeting the current year and CSR07 CPPP targets.
	The Northern Ireland Prison Service also has under way a significant capital build programme that will create additional cellular accommodation over the term of the CSR07 period thus enabling the service to continue delivering its downward CPPP trend.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Community Relations

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made by the Improvement and Development Agency on the establishment of a group of accredited peers from local government and the voluntary sector on preventing extremism.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 22 January 2008
	By early February 2008, the Improvement and Development Agency will have accredited approximately 30 peers to work with local authorities on the Preventing Violent Extremism agenda. The peers are a mix of local politicians and cabinet members with responsibility for preventing extremism; senior local government officers; and senior members from the voluntary sector. A schedule of pilot visits to local authorities is being planned for spring 2008.

Community Relations: Religion

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Wycombe of 18 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1304W, on community relations: religion, where the three pilots already launched are taking place; and where the two pilots due to be launched in 2008 will take place.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme for faith leaders is currently being piloted in four areas: Bradford, Leicester, Tower Hamlets and Sheffield. The option of a fifth pilot site was explored, but we assessed that four sites were sufficient to pilot the programme.

Council Housing: Standards

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the proposed Office for Tenants and Social Landlords will  (a) set targets for local authorities which have housing stock and  (b) have power to inspect local authorities which have housing stock.

Yvette Cooper: I announced on 15 October 2007 that an independently chaired advisory panel will carry out further work with stakeholders in order that the Office for Tenants and Social Landlords should regulate local authorities' social housing management functions within two years of it commencing its' operations. Decisions on the nature of the regulatory framework will be made in due course upon consideration of the panel's recommendations.

Council Tax Benefits: Tax Rates and Bands

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households in England have a zero liability for council tax due to 100 per cent. council tax benefit.

James Plaskitt: I have been asked to reply.
	As at May 2004, the most recent available figure, 3,185,000 households received full council tax benefit.

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff working in her Department were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Fire Services: Floods

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what charges the Fire and Rescue Service may make for pumping water out of commercial premises which have flooded; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: holding answer 21 January 2008
	English Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) can charge for the provision of services other than fire-fighting services under Section 19 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. This includes the provision or removal of water.
	It is a matter for the individual fire and rescue authority concerned to determine its policy on costs and charges for pumping out commercial premises.

Fire Services: Planning

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what advice has been given to fire and rescue authorities on pre-planning for major hazards and incidents since the Buncefield fire in December 2005.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer  21 January 2008
	Fire and rescue authorities (FRAs) are required by the fire and rescue service national framework to have in place and maintain an integrated risk management plan (IRMP) which reflects local need and sets out plans to tackle effectively both existing and potential risks to communities. The IRMP enables the authority to tailor cover for fire and other incidents to local circumstancesevaluating where risk is greatest and allocating resource accordingly. It is a requirement that the IRMP is subject to a full consultation with the local community before it is agreed and published.
	CLG has issued no specific guidance on planning for major hazards and incidents since December 2005.

Fire Services: Risk Assessment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance has been given to fire and rescue authorities since the Buncefield fire in December 2005 on the exchange of information on risk assessments between fire and rescue authorities and other agencies.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 21 January 2008
	No advice has been issued. However, the draft fire and rescue service national framework, about which Communities and Local Government is currently consulting, would make it mandatory for each fire and rescue authority to:
	have regard to the risk analyses completed by Local and Regional Resilience Forums, including those reported in external Community Risk Registers and internal risk registers
	review the effectiveness of their cross-border integration arrangements with neighbouring authorities, and set these out appropriately in their integrated risk management programmes.
	Furthermore, we intend to issue good practice guidance on the integrated risk management plan (IRMP) and the Civil Contingencies Act after the Major Incident Investigation Board has completed its work on the Buncefield fire, and the Government have produced a single consolidated response to its recommendations.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Community Nurses

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many family nurse partnership (FNP) programmes are in operation; how many family nurses there are; how many and what proportion of  (a) families and  (b) children (i) have been provided with information on and (ii) are accessing these programmes; where the programmes are located and what criteria were used to determine these locations; what plans there are to expand the FNP programme; what targets and indicators there are for the programme; what research and evaluation is being carried out into it; when the results of that research will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 23 January 2008
	There are 10 Family Nurse Partnership Pilot sites in operation in England, which began operating from March 2007 and which will be running as Pilot sites until early 2010. Across the 10 sites there are a total of 57 family nurses, including supervisors. By 4 January 2008, 1,332 mothers had been provided with information by a family nurse about the Family Nurse Partnership programme. Of these, 1,143 (85 per cent.) took up the offer of enrolment.
	The Pilot sites are Barnsley, Derby City, County Durham and Darlington, Manchester, Slough, Somerset, South East Essex, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Walsall.
	The criteria used to determine these locations as suitable for the Pilot Phase of the Family Nurse Partnership are at Annex A.
	The targets and indicators for sites operating the Family Nurse Partnership in England are listed as fidelity requirements at Annex B.
	Over the 2007 Spending Review period (2008-09 to 2010-11) we will be investing 30 million to:
	conduct the final year of the small scale testing phase of the Family Nurse Partnership;
	increase the number of sites testing and delivering the Family Nurse Partnership intervention in England by 20 sites in 2008-09 , with the decision about possible further expansion in subsequent years being informed by evaluation outcomes from operating the first 30 sites;
	conduct a research trial into the impact of the Family Nurse Partnership in England; and
	support integration of the Family Nurse Partnership into the universal Child Health Promotion Programme.
	An interim evaluation report of the Pilot Project's first year will be published in the spring. The final evaluation report of the Pilot is expected to be available in spring 2009, although evaluation of the second year of the pilot has not yet been commissioned. It is also intended to commission a research study to evaluate the impact of the FNP in this country.
	 Annex A
	 Criteria to determine the 10 family nurse partnership pilot sites
	Criteria 1: Strong partnership working and a high degree of NHS/LA service integration
	Criteria 2: Community engagement
	Criteria 3: Commitment to progressive universalism in health led child and family services
	Criteria 4: Workforce capacity and capability
	Criteria 5: Effective local leadership
	Criteria 6: Demographic profile and capacity to identify at risk families
	Criteria 7: IT capacity
	Criteria 8: Record of successful innovation
	Criteria 9: Project implementation plan that demonstrates the capacity and capability to successfully deliver the programme to the timetable outlined in the background information
	Criteria 10: Resources
	 Annex B
	 Family-Nurse Partnership Fidelity Requirements
	Objectives concerning fidelity to program model
	 P rogram is reaching the intended population of low-income, first-time mothers:
	1. 75 per cent. of eligible referrals are enrolled in the program
	2. 100 per cent. of enrolled women are first-time mothers (no previous live birth)
	3. 60 per cent. of pregnant women are enrolled by 16 weeks gestation or earlier
	 Program attains overall enrolment goal and recommended caseload:
	4. A caseload of 25 for all full-time nurses within 8-9 months of program operation
	 Program successfully retains participants in program through child's second birthday:
	5. Cumulative program attrition is 40 per cent. or less through the child's second birthday
	6. 10 per cent. or less for pregnancy phase
	7. 20 per cent. or less for infancy phase
	8. 10 per cent. or less for toddler phase
	 Nurse home visitors maintain established frequency, length, and content of visits with families:
	9. Percentage of expected visits completed is 80 per cent. or greater for pregnancy phase
	10. Percentage of expected visits completed is 65 per cent. or greater for infancy phase
	11. Percentage of expected visits completed is 60 per cent. or greater for toddler phase
	12. On average, length of home visits with participants is = 60 minutes
	13. Content of home visits reflects variation in developmental needs of participants across program phases:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			  Average time devoted to content domains during  P regnancy  
			 Personal Health 35-40 
			 Environmental Health 05-07 
			 Life Course Development 10-15 
			 Maternal Role 23-25 
			 Family and Friends 10-15 
			   
			  Average  t ime  d evoted to  c ontent  d omains during Infancy  
			 Personal Health 14-20 
			 Environmental Health 07-10 
			 Life Course Development 10-15 
			 Maternal Role 45-50 
			 Family and Friends 10-15 
			   
			  Average  t ime  d evoted to  c ontent  d omains during Toddlerhood  
			 Personal Health 10-15 
			 Environmental Health 07-10 
			 Life Course Development 18-20 
			 Maternal Role 40-45 
			 Family and Friends 10-15

Education: Prisons

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government have taken to improve the quality of prison education since 2001.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	The transfer of responsibility for offender learning from the Home Office in 2001, to the Department for Education and Skills, now the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, brought the offender learning agenda within mainstream learning and skills arrangements. This led to the introduction of heads of learning and skills, a new senior role within each prison responsible for co-ordinating delivery. Offender learning is inspected by Ofsted (and its predecessors) to the same standards as mainstream education, with published reports since 2002.
	Between August 2005 and August 2006, the Learning and Skills Council completed the introduction of a new offender learning and skills service. This service is designed to integrate delivery both inside and outside prisons, as well as ensuring the quality is consistent with that available in the outside community.
	The new delivery arrangements are governed by the policy framework set out in the 'Reducing Re-Offending Through Skills and Employment' Next Steps document, published jointly by the then Department for Education and Skills, the Home Office, and the Department for Work and Pensions in December 2006. Many of the further changes set out in the Next Steps document are now being piloted in our two test bed regions, the West Midlands and east of England,

Geronimo Communications

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1272W, on Geronimo Communications, what information his Department holds on any payments made by Geronimo Communications other than to departmental bank accounts; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: DCSF has three departmental bank accounts, an HM Paymaster General bank account and two commercial bank accounts. All payments received by DCSF are credited to one of these three bank accounts. There are no records of any payments being received from Geronimo Communications and credited to any of these accounts.

Nursery Schools: Greater London

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many free nursery places have been provided in London in each of the last 10 years.

Beverley Hughes: Information about the part-time equivalent number of free early education places filled by three and four-year-olds in London is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Part-time equivalent number of free early education places( 1,2,3)  filled by three and four-year-olds in Londonposition in January each year 
			   3-year-olds  4-year-olds 
			   Maintained nursery and primary schools( 4)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers  Total 3-year-olds  Maintained nursery and primary schools( 4)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers  Total 4-year-olds 
			 1998 42,300 n/a 42,300 n/a n/a (6)85,000 
			 1999 44,900 n/a 44,900 n/a n/a (6)87,500 
			 2000 46,500 (7)12,100 58,600 n/a n/a (6)87,000 
			 2001 46,700 (7)20,800 67,500 n/a n/a (6)87,800 
			 2002 46,900 (7)32,700 79,600 78,100 (8)13,500 89,600 
			 2003 47,400 (7)29,400 76,800 75,000 (8)14,300 89,300 
			 2004 46,700 (9)28,000 75,300 74,000 (10)14,000 88,000 
			 2005 46,600 (9)30,100 76,700 73,600 (10)13,000 86,600 
			 2006 47,700 (9)32,300 80,000 73,500 (10)13,400 86,800 
			 2007 48,800 (9)34,800 83,600 74,200 (10)14,000 88,200 
			 n/a = not available. (1) A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child. (2) Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 and to the nearest 10 otherwise. (3) Prior to 2002, information on early education places taken up by four-year-olds was derived from returns made by local authorities as part of the Nursery Education Grant (NEG) data collection exercise. These data do not differentiate between the maintained and private, voluntary and independent sectors. (4) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. (5) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. (6) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. (7) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. (8.) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census. (9) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census. (10) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census. 
		
	
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release (SFR) 19/2007 Provision for children under five years of age in England: January 2007, available on my Department's website
	www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/

Primary Education

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many year 1 pupils there were in schools in England in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The available information is provided in the table.
	
		
			  Nursery, primary, secondary and special schools( 1, 2, 3) : Number (headcount) of pupils in national curriculum year group 1( 4) . Position in January each year 2003 to 2007: England 
			   Nursery  Primary( 1)  Secondary( 1, 2)  Special( 3)  Total( 1, 2, 3) 
			 2003(5) 0 580,620 40 3,640 584,300 
			 2004 30 568,050 30 3,340 571,440 
			 2005 10 563,970 160 2,960 567,100 
			 2006 10 544,110 210 3,010 547,340 
			 2007 10 533,200 270 2,830 536,320 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained secondary schools, city technology colleges and academies. (3) Includes maintained and non maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (4) Excludes dually registered pupils. (5) Figure provided for secondary schools in 2003 excludes anomalous national curriculum year group data reported by one school.  Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Special Educational Needs: Greater Manchester

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent on children with  (a) special educational needs and  (b) dyslexia in (i) Cheadle constituency and (ii) Stockport metropolitan borough council area in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 21 January 2008
	 The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local authority areas, rather than districts within an area. Cheadle is a district of Stockport Local authority. The information for Stockport LA about the amount spent on children with special educational needs is as follows:
	
		
			  Budgeted net expenditure on the provision of education for children with special educational needs by Stockport local authority: 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			
			 2003-04 14,181,000 
			 2004-05 17,038,000 
			 2005-06 20,558,000 
			 2008-07 20,963,000 
			 2007-08 20,941,000 
		
	
	The Department does not collect separate figures on how much was spent on children with dyslexia.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Archaeology

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for the long-term future of the Portable Antiquities Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and so any decisions on its future funding will be taken by the MLA. In recognition of the importance of the scheme, I am very pleased to be able to confirm that the MLA has announced that it intends to maintain current levels of support for the PAS in 2008-09. The MLA will consider options for future funding of the PAS in the context of its priorities for museum collections and public participation.
	The PAS is of national importance and the MLA is committed to seeing it thrive and evolve. The MLA will continue to work with the British Museum and other stakeholders to build on the scheme's success in advancing archaeological knowledgefor finders, museums and, most importantly, the wider public.

Arts: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place in Library all correspondence between his Department and the East of England Development Agency on funding of arts projects in Peterborough in the last 12 months.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 22 January 2008
	My Department has no record of any such correspondence.

Capita

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information that is currently held is listed as follows. Some of the records are not available or are held centrally by other Government Departments.
	 Q uestion :
	How much was paid to Capita Group and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000?
	 Answer :
	
		
			
			 2000-01 69,350 
			 2001-02 95,139 
			 2002-03 7,862 
			 2003-04 9,854 
			 2004-05 7,540 
			 2005-06 102,855 
			 2006-07 428,464 
			 2007-08 470,913 
		
	
	 Question:
	Which contracts were awarded by DCMS to Capita since 2000-01?
	 Answer:
	2001Framework Agreement to support quinquennial reviews of non-departmental public bodies.
	2007Air Ticket Booking Service
	 Question:
	What the cost was of each contract?
	 Answer:
	Quinquennial Reviews49,000
	Air Ticket service23,000 to date
	 Question:
	What penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions?
	 Answer:
	None.
	 Question:
	What the length was of each contract?
	 Answer:
	Quinquennial Reviewsfive years
	Air Ticket servicefour years
	 Question:
	Whether the contract was advertised?
	 Answer:
	Quinquennial ReviewsYes.  Official Journal of European Union advert issued.
	Air Ticket ServiceYes.  Official Journal of European Union advert issued by OGC Buying Solutions.
	 Question:
	How many companies applied for the contract?
	 Answer:
	Quinquennial Reviews24 companies applied.
	Air Ticket servicethree companies applied.
	 Question:
	How many were short-listed?
	 Answer:
	Quinquennial Reviews10 companies short-listed.
	Air Ticket servicethree companies short-listed.
	 Question:
	What criteria were used for choosing a company?
	 Answer:
	Quinquennial ReviewsKnowledge and Experience, Relevant Skills, Quality Management, Theme Based Expertise, References.
	Air Ticket serviceAbility to provide the service to agreed standards, implementation plan of service, Quality Assurance Plans, Experience of personnel to be involved within contract, Evidence of existing customer satisfaction and service provision, Contingency planning.
	 Question:
	What provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case?
	 Answer:
	None.

Departmental-Email

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to reduce the number of hard copies of e-mails printed by officials in his Department.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department is already taking steps to reduce the unnecessary printing of e-mails. My Department has introduced multifunctional printing devices which allow double-sided printing as default. Staff are encouraged as part of the environmental management system to conserve paper by reducing the amount of printing generally. My Department is also introducing an electronic content management system which means that e-mails will no longer need to be printed for the Department's formal record.

Departmental Property

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department has spent on leasing property in each of the last three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has spent the following on leasing property in the last three financial years.
	
		
			   
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 2-4 Cockspur Street 4,913,005.16 4,922,663.00 4,720,321.25 
			 Grove House, Orange Street 596,312.52 596,312.52 596,312.52 
			 Oceanic House, Cockspur Street 573,400.00 573,400.00 578,688.00 
			 Queens Yard, Tottenham Court Road 497,667.61 552,250.00 552,250.00 
			 Blandford Street n/a 93,695.00 93,695.00 
			 Total 6,580,385.20 6,738,320.50 6,541,275.70 
			 n/a =Not applicable

Gambling: Licensing

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many  (a) operating licences,  (b) premises licences and  (c) personal licences the Gambling Commission withdrew in each year since October 2005;
	(2)  how many applications for  (a) operating,  (b) premises and  (c) personal licences the Gambling Commission received in each year since 2005;
	(3)  how many applications for  (a) operating,  (b) premises and  (c) personal licences the Gambling Commission declined in each year since 2005.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The table shows the number of applications for operating and personal licences that were received by the Gambling Commission under the Gambling Act 2005 (the 2005 Act) and their equivalents under the previous legislation, the Gaming Act 1968 (the 1968 Act). It also shows numbers of applications which were withdrawn by applicants or declined by the Gambling Commission, and licences and certificates revoked by the Gambling Commission.
	Information relating to the application for society lottery registrations under the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976 is not included in the table.
	The figures for the 1968 Act relate to each financial year listed and those for the 2005 Act to the calendar year of 2007. Applications for operating and personal licences under the 2005 Act could be received from January 2007, prior to the Act coming fully into force on 1 September 2007.
	Figures for premises licences under the 2005 Act are not yet available. Licensing authorities are responsible for considering and issuing gambling premises licences under the 2005 Act. They are expected to send their first annual returns to the Gambling Commission by the end of January 2008.
	
		
			  Gaming Act 1968 Applications 
			   Applications received  Withdrawn  Declined  Revoked 
			  April 2005-March 2006 
			 Casino:  5 0 0 
			 New 67
			 Transfer/substitute 3
			 Continuance 35
			 Bingo:  0 0 0 
			 New 8
			 Transfer 10
			 Gaming Machine Suppliers 171 6 0 0 
			 S. 19 Personal certificates 3,481 316 0 26 
			  
			  April 2006-March 2007 
			 Casino:  15 0 0 
			 New 58
			 Transfer/substitute 1
			 Continuance 24
			 Bingo:  2 0 0 
			 New 10
			 Transfer 6
			 Gaming Machine Suppliers 79 6 0 0 
			 S.19 Personal certificates 3,490 443 0 28 
			  
			  April-August 2007 
			 Casino:  5 0 0 
			 New 0
			 Transfer/substitute 2
			 Continuance 0
			 Bingo:  1 0 0 
			 New 4
			 Transfer 3
			 Gaming Machine Suppliers 30 0 0 0 
			 S.19 Personal certificates 1,009 105 0 8 
		
	
	
		
			  Gambling Act 2005 Applications 
			   Applications received  Withdrawn  Declined  Revoked 
			 Operators licences 2,866 104 15 13 
			 Personal licences 3,644 293 2 0

National Lottery

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much National Lottery funding has been spent on  (a) arts,  (b) heritage,  (c) community sport,  (d) school sport and  (e) capital funding for schools in each year since 1997.

James Purnell: holding answer 22 January 2008
	National Lottery expenditure for the good cause sectors specified is set out in the table, subject to the qualifications given. The figures are for the United Kingdom as a whole.
	
		
			   million (rounded) 
			   Arts: drawdown from the NLDF by the six arts/film distributors  Heritage: drawdown from the NLDF by the Heritage Lottery fund  Sport; drawdown from the NLDF by the five sports distributors  School sport: payments by New Opportunities Fund/Big Lottery Fund under the PE and Sport in Schools and School Sports co-ordinators programme  Other sport: payments by NOF/big Lottery fund under the community Sports Programmes, Space for Sport and the Arts and Football Foundation 
			 1997-98 356 133 188 0 0 
			 1998-99 366 196 397 0 0 
			 1999-2000 259 277 317 0 0 
			 2000-01 272 290 293 0 0 
			 2001-02 275 262 359 11 0 
			 2002-03 246 265 377 3 2 
			 2003-04 295 324 315 21 11 
			 2004-05 298 308 242 74 11 
			 2005-06 275 374 264 211 39 
			 2006-07 228 367 209 183 43

Political Impartiality

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the declared party political affiliations are of members of the boards of  (a) the National Lottery distributors,  (b) non-departmental public bodies and  (c) agencies within the responsibilities of his Department.  [Official Report, 7 February 2008; Vol. 471, c. 7MC.]

Gerry Sutcliffe: In accordance with the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, board members are required to declare details of political activity and are asked to include the name of the political party they have been active for. Applicants are not required to provide details of party political membership or affiliation but may do so if they choose.
	Of currently serving board members for DCMS bodies, 47 board members in total have made a political activity declaration. Of these, eight are from a lottery distributor; 39 from a non-departmental sponsored body and none from departmental agencies.
	In terms of political activity this can be further broken down as follows: Of the eight lottery distributor board members who made a declaration: seven were active for the Labour party and one declared political activity independent of a political party. Of the 39 non-departmental sponsored body board members who made a declaration, 11 were active for the Conservative party, 23 for the Labour party, 3 for the Liberal Democrats and two declared politically independent activity.

Public Libraries: Closures

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public libraries have closed in England in each of the last 10 years.

Margaret Hodge: This information is not held centrally. However, the Public Library Statistics, published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), contain data establishing the total number of public library service points open for more than 10 hours per week. The House of Commons Library holds copies for the period in question.

Sports: Finance

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2007, Off icial Report, column 1006-07, on sports: finance, how much funding in each year was provided from  (a) his departmental budget and  (b) Lottery funding.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The figures in the table represent the actual spend (or 'outturn') on sport, from 1997-2000, as set out in the Department's published appropriation accounts, and for 2001-06 in the Department's resource accounts. Details of the 2007-08 allocation for sport as at the winter supplementary estimate can be found in central Government supply estimate 2007-08, winter supplementary estimates (HC29).
	
		
			  Departmental outturn 
			million 
			 1997-98 50.1 
			 1998-99 49.4 
			 1999-2000 51.6 
			 2000-01 52.6 
			 2001-02 63.9 
			 2002-03 109.8 
			 2003-04 78.9 
			 2004-05 111.5 
			 2005-06 117.5 
			 2006-07 169.5 
			 2007-08(1) 187.4 
		
	
	
		
			  Lottery funding for England 
			million 
			 1997-98 153 
			 1998-99 357 
			 1999-2000 251 
			 2000-01 232 
			 2001-02 309 
			 2002-03 313 
			 2003-04 261 
			 2004-05 232 
			 2005-06 400 
			 2006-07 296 
			 2007-08(2) 227 
			 (1) Plans figures as at winter supplementary estimate (2) Projected income figure

Sports: Health Education

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much  (a) his Department and  (b) Sport England have spent on providing information on sports and fitness facilities to the NHS Choices website.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 23 January 2008
	 Neither DCMS nor Sport England has spent any funds on providing information on sports and fitness facilities to the NHS Choices website beyond the staff time incurred to do so. The data are provided from the Active Places dataset.

Sports: Health Education

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how often Sport England are required to provide updated information on sports and fitness facilities for inclusion on the NHS Choices website.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 23 January 2008
	 Sport England provides updated information on sports and fitness facilities for inclusion on the NHS Choices website upon request, otherwise every six weeks.

Sports: Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what the expected annual salary is of a competition manager in school sport partnerships;
	(2)  how much has been spent on training competition managers in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The National School Sport Strategy was launched in 2002. Initial funding focused on the school sport partnership infrastructure of partnership development managers, school sport coordinators and primary link teachers. Funding for competition managers began in 2005.
	Grants, based on the number of competition managers and senior competition managers allocated to county areas, are passed to the host organisation, for example a school sport partnership.
	The current grants envisage a salary of up to 30,000 for competition managers and 40,000 for senior competition managers, as well as up to 1,000 for professional development. However, it is for the host organisation to decide upon the precise salary, and training allocation. The Department does not hold this information centrally.
	As part of their work, the Youth Sport Trust is also funded to provide central support and resources for the development of competition managers.
	There are currently 90 competition managers in post comprising 67 competition managers and 23 senior competition managers.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Admiralty House

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for how many months each vacant ministerial residence in Admiralty House has been unoccupied; and if he will consider renting out such properties to individuals other than Ministers.

Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1080W. The Admiralty House flats are an integral part of the Cabinet Office estate. A change in their use would therefore not be appropriate.

Christmas

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much his Department and its agencies have spent on Christmas  (a) cards,  (b) parties and  (c) decorations in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how much his Department spent on  (a) Christmas cards and  (b) postage of Christmas cards in 2007;
	(2)  how much  (a) his Department and  (b) the Minister for the Olympics spent on (i) Christmas cards and (ii) postage of Christmas cards in 2007.

Gillian Merron: For information on Christmas cards sent in 2003 and 2004, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (David Davis) by my right hon. Friend the Member for South Shields (David Miliband) on 10 January 2005,  Official Report, column 82W. In 2005, the Department spent 2,816 on Christmas cards, 40 per cent. of which was donated to charity. For 2006 and 2007, the Cabinet Office has used an on-line e-card at no additional cost to the Department. The cost of any Christmas cards sent by the Department is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	No departmental funds have been used for staff Christmas parties.
	Christmas trees are situated at certain points on the Cabinet Office Estate, which includes 10 Downing street, such as in the reception of the main buildings and at the front door of 10 Downing street. The following costs include the purchase, decoration and environmentally friendly disposal of the trees. The cost in each of the last five years was 13,294 (2006), 12,968 (2005), 13,159 (2004), 8,399 (2003) and approximately 5,151 (2002).

Departmental Manpower

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers are employed in each salary band in his Office;
	(2)  how many appointments of  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in each salary band have been made to his Office in each month since 27 June 2007.

Gillian Merron: As of 1 April 2007, the number of full-time equivalent civil servants by salary band in the Cabinet Office is as follows:
	
		
			  Band  Total 
			 SCS 223.56 
			 A 350.64 
			 B2 383.23 
			 B1 296.41 
			 C 224.13 
			 Ungraded 1.2 
			 Total 1,479.17 
		
	
	Between 1 April and 30 December, the size of the Department has reduced from 1,479 to 1,340.
	On numbers of appointments, the Department generally has a high level of turnover compared to other Government Departments, because there are significant numbers of staff on fixed term appointments, on loan from other Government Departments or on secondment from external organisations, bringing in people with relevant skills/expertise to work on current priorities. There were 476 appointments in 2006-07.
	The number of full-time equivalent civil servants in each band, appointed to the Cabinet Office each month since 27 June 2007 is as follows:
	
		
			   Start month 
			  Band  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Total 
			 SCS 4 4.83 1 1 4 3.59 0 18.42 
			 A 3 9.58 9 5.78 13 7 5 52.36 
			 B2 1 9 5 11 6 6 2 40 
			 B1 1 12 3 5 6 4 4.83 35.83 
			 C 0 3 1 4 8 10 3 29 
			 Total 9 38.41 19 26.78 37 30.59 14.83 175.61 
		
	
	Since 2003, the Government have published details on special adviser names, numbers and costs in an annual written ministerial statement. For the most recent information I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister on 22 November 2007,  Official Report, 147-50WS.

Departmental Responsibilities

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his role is with regard to  (a) the operation of the political office at 10 Downing street,  (b) the development of Government policy,  (c) responding to day-to-day events and  (d) forward-planning of Government announcements; whether that role has changed in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Miliband: My ministerial responsibilities are set out in the List of Ministerial Responsibilities which is available in the Libraries of the House and on the Cabinet Office website at
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ministerial_responsibilities.aspx.

Departmental Standards

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment the Cabinet Office has made of whether  (a) the Prime Minister's Office and  (b) the Cabinet Office have met the Departmental Strategic Objective of ensuring the highest standards of propriety and integrity in public life.

Edward Miliband: The Government are committed to upholding the highest standards of propriety and integrity in public life as set out in the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and the seven principles of public life. Maintenance of these standards is scrutinised by Parliament including the Public Administration Select Committee and other bodies including the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Electronic Mail

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance he has issued to his Department's  (a) staff and  (b) special advisers on the use of non-government e-mail accounts for official purposes.

Gillian Merron: The Cabinet Office has a protective security policy, in which the controls and procedures apply to all staff, including special advisers.

Government Departments: Correspondence

John Horam: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidelines he has provided to Government Departments on responding to letters and e-mails from members of the public on  (a) acknowledging receipt of the correspondence and  (b) the time allowed for a substantive answer to be sent.

Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1081W.

PRIME MINISTER

10 Downing Street: Smith Institute

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions since 27 June 2007  (a) the Smith Institute and  (b) SI Events Ltd have used facilities at No. 10 Downing street.

Gordon Brown: Information on official and charity receptions held at Downing street will be published in the usual way following the end of the financial year.

Christmas

Philip Hammond: To ask the Prime Minister how much his Office has spent on Christmas  (a) cards,  (b) parties and  (c) decorations in each of the last five years.

Gordon Brown: In 2006 my predecessor (the right hon. Tony Blair) sent approximately 1,700 official Christmas cards at a cost of 460. For previous years I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my predecessor on 19 December 2002,  Official Report, column 936W; 20 December 2004,  Official Report, columns 1350-1W and 30 January 2006,  Official Report, column 63W.
	For parties and decorations I refer to the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Gillian Merron) today.

Departmental Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister how many staff are employed by his Office.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) and the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 15 October 2007,  Official Report, column 819W.

Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1076W, on Departments: ministerial policy advisers, whether Mr Bob Shrum provides him with potential consultancy, speech-writing or related advice, in relation to his official duties.

Gordon Brown: I have nothing further to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Edward Miliband) on 30 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1076W.

Manpower: Prime Minister's Office

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 29 October 2007,  Official Report, column 625W, on manpower: Prime Minister's Office, how many staff hours were spent on average on speechwriting in his Office in each week of the last month.

Gordon Brown: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 29 October 2007,  Official Report, column 615W.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Brian Binley: To ask the Prime Minister what the terms and conditions of Mr Stephen Carter's employment as Chief of Strategy and principal adviser are; and what rules apply to the retention of interests in outside bodies by special advisers.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the press notice issued by my Office on 7 January 2007, copies are available on the No. 10 website at:
	http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page14174.asp
	A copy of this webpage has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Special advisers are appointed under the terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract and Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

Ministers: Official Gifts

John Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister when the rules governing gifts received by Ministers and registered as part of the Donated Asset Reserve were last updated.

Gordon Brown: The arrangements for the handling of gifts are set out in chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code which was issued in July 2007.

Ministers: Official Gifts

John Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister how much depreciation has taken place of items held in the Donated Asset Reserve over the last 12 months.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my predecessor (the right hon. Tony Blair) on 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 151W.

Official Visits

David Davies: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has visited  (a) Wales,  (b) Scotland,  (c) Liverpool and  (d) London since his appointment.

Gordon Brown: A list of my UK visits will be published in the usual way following the end of the financial year.

Pay

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Prime Minister what the Prime Minister's salary was in each of the last 10 years.

Gordon Brown: This is a matter of public record and is available in the Libraries of the House.

Prime Minister: India

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he held during his recent visit to India on discrimination by caste and descent in that country.

Gordon Brown: During my visit, I announced a new UK three-year development programme of 825 million. This will support the health and education sectors, with a particular focus on bringing education to a greater proportion of Indians, regardless of caste. In addition, I took part in an event on women's empowerment where I discussed among other issues the impact of caste and discrimination in Indian society.

Special Advisers

David Gauke: To ask the Prime Minister what obligations there are on special advisers to  (a) divest and  (b) declare financial interests held prior to appointment; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: Special advisers are appointed under the terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract and Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Education: Trade Unions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many trained union learning representatives there were in each year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: Union learning representatives (ULRs) are lay union representatives, whose main function is to advise union members about their training, educational and development needs. Since the launch of the Union Learning Fund (ULF) in 1998, and the introduction of statutory rights for ULRs to train and carry out their duties in 2003, more than 18,000 have been trained helping more than 400,000 people into learning.
	Both employers and workers stand to benefit from ULRs. They are an inexpensive source of expert advice for employers. They are particularly effective in reaching workers with basic skills needspeople who may be reluctant to take advantage of training opportunities. In that sense, ULRs help to stimulate a demand for learning and training among a group which employers find it hard to reach.
	Rounded figures for trained ULRs since April 1999 are as follows:
	
		
			  As at April each year  Number 
			 1999 730 
			 2000 1,600 
			 2001 3,000 
			 2002 4,700 
			 2003 6,700 
			 2004 10,300 
			 2005 14,000 
			 2006 16,000 
			 2007 18,000

Overseas Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills further to his letter of 7 September 2007 to the Chairman of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, whether a UK resident or citizen with a qualification from an overseas institution deemed to be equivalent to or lower than a qualification which they wish to study will qualify for public funding for higher education courses in English institutions where they have not previously accessed public funding for higher education within the UK.

Bill Rammell: Subject to exceptions for particular categories of students and subjects on which HEFCE has been consulting, such citizens who wished to study for a qualification equivalent to or lower than the one already obtained from an overseas' institution would not qualify for the purposes of institutional public funding. Our clear priority is to widen participation and increase the incentives for higher education providers to attract and retain more of the millions of people without a first higher education qualification, wherever that qualification was obtained.

Union Learning Fund

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2007,  Official Report, columns 754-55W, on Union Learning Fund, by what means trained union learning representatives help workers back into learning under the Union Learning Fund.

David Lammy: Union learning representatives (ULRs) are lay union representatives; whose main function is to advise union members about their training, educational and development needs. Since the launch of the Union Learning Fund (ULF) in 1998, and the introduction of statutory rights for ULRs to train and carry out their duties in 2003, more than 18,000 ULRs have been trained. Latest figures show that last year they helped over 150,000 workers into learning through a wide variety of ULF projects.
	ULRs are trained to an approved standard by Unionlearn, the TUC's learning organisation, or their own union to carry out their role in engaging, supporting and helping workers back into learning. This training provides the ULRs with a wide range of skills to help fellow workers back into learning including:
	starting conversations at work about the importance of learning and showing that everyone can benefit from improving their skills;
	carrying out informal group and one to one interviews in the workplace to find out the learning needs of workers, how these can best be addressed, including where and when;
	carrying out Skills for Life screening to identify any literacy or numeracy needs in a relaxed non threatening way to allay any fears individuals may have;
	working closely with training providers to customise the content of learning programmes and arranging how and when the learning can be delivered on a flexible basis to enable the widest participation;
	supporting (earners who may have missed a few sessions of learning and encouraging them to continue by helping to address any needs which may have arisen;
	working with employers to set up a learning centre in the workplace.
	These are just some of the ways in which ULRs can help workers into learning, but perhaps most important is their ability to engage with those hard to reach learners who might otherwise be too embarrassed to admit their learning needs to an employer or supervisor but who trust a fellow worker who understands their point of view. In that sense, ULRs help to stimulate a demand for learning and training among a group which employers and training providers find it so difficult to reach.

Union Learning Fund

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many education or training places were funded through the Union Learning Fund in each year since 1998; and how many of these led to qualifications at level  (a) 2 and  (b) 3.

David Lammy: The Union Learning Fund (ULF) is a source of funding to help trade unions boost their capacity as learning organisations and use their influence with employers, employees and learning providers to encourage greater take up of learning in the workplace. It is not used to fund the provision of training courses but enables trade unions and their union learning representatives to provide advice, guidance and support in order to help workers access learning opportunities to improve their skill levels.
	With the help of ULF, trade unions and their union learning representatives have been really successful in working with employers to help people get back into learning, tackling both organisational and individual skill needs. There are now over 18,000 trained union learning representatives who have helped over 400,000 workers back into learning since the fund was introduced in 1998 there were over 150,000 last year alone, many of whom were Skills for Life learners, those most in need of new skills who employers and training providers find it so difficult to reach.

Union Learning Fund

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the 10 most expensive projects funded under the Union Learning Fund were in each year since 1998; and how much each cost.

David Lammy: Trade unions have a key role to play in promoting the development of learning and skills in the workplace. To help them do this more effectively we introduced the Union Learning Fund (ULF) in 1998. This source of funding is helping trade unions use their influence with employers, employees and training providers to encourage greater take up of learning at work and boost their own capacity as learning organisations. The 10 projects that were awarded the most funding through the ULF in each financial year since 1998 are set out in the following tables identified by the lead union.
	
		
			  Project/union   
			  1998-99  
			 GMB 148,349 
			 AEEU 139,500 
			 USDAW 113,550 
			 GPMU 97,000 
			 MSF 80,135 
			 UNIFI 56,400 
			 MU 50,000 
			 NUJ 50,000 
			 TG 50,000 
			 UCATT 50,000 
			   
			  1999-2000  
			 GMB 188,210 
			 AEEU 116,065 
			 MSF 162,144 
			 GPMU 158,009 
			 TG 155,680 
			 Unison 137,325 
			 ISTC 100,733 
			 USDAW 94,450 
			 CWU 87,950 
			 PCS 84,500 
			   
			  2000-01  
			 Unison 560,894 
			 GPMU 345,535 
			 MSF 343,720 
			 GMB 343,217 
			 AEEU 246,350 
			 TG 201,236 
			 NUJ 176,800 
			 UCATT 167,000 
			 CATU 118,808 
			 NUT 117,750 
			   
			  2001-02  
			 GMB 1,079,568 
			 Unison 831,704 
			 NUT 534,871 
			 TG 421,540 
			 GPMU 341,804 
			 USDAW 234,892 
			 AEEU 222,450 
			 CWU 210,300 
			 BFAWU 182,206 
			 MSF 161,981 
			   
			  2002-03  
			 AEEU 1,325,481 
			 Unison 1,198,095 
			 GPMU 889,889 
			 GMB 850,049 
			 CWU 848,000 
			 MSF 835,361 
			 TG 426,128 
			 BFAWU 354,745 
			 NUJ 349,700 
			 ASLEF 280,000 
			   
			  2003-04  
			 USDAW 1,263,981 
			 NASUWT 1,234,029 
			 UNIFI 1,173,347 
			 TG 891,133 
			 GMB 794,766 
			 POA 691,913 
			 NUT 611,350 
			 GFTU 521,000 
			 PCS 463,081 
			 MSF 427,428 
			   
			  2004-05  
			 GPMU 1,781,950 
			 Rail unions 1,514,600 
			 Amicus 1,478,900 
			 FBU 1,144,000 
			 BFAWU 850,725 
			 Unison 801,600 
			 TG 588,933 
			 PCS 570,216 
			 UCATT 565,766 
			 GMB 342,522 
			   
			  2005-06  
			 TG 2,319,299 
			 GMB 1,933,208 
			 UCATT 510,436 
			 Community 380,658 
			 GFTU 249,445 
			 ATL 221,649 
			 PCS 215,000 
			 MU 196,685 
			 BELTU 194,559 
			 USDAW 152,000 
			   
			  2006-07  
			 Amicus 3,414,517 
			 Unison 2,212,528 
			 Rail unions 1,971,951 
			 PCS 1,366,020 
			 FBU 1,248,168 
			 BFAWU 1,190,233 
			 USDAW 1,166,231 
			 CWU 1,138,438 
			 GMB 931,835 
			 POA 883,360

Union Learning Fund

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much was paid under the Union Learning Fund to  (a) ASLEF,  (b) BECTU,  (c) BFAWU,  (d) Community,  (e) CWU,  (f) GMB,  (g) MU,  (h) NACODS,  (i) NUM,  (j) TSSA,  (k) UCATT,  (l) UNISON,  (m) UNITE,  (n) UNITY and  (o) USDAW in each year since 1998.

David Lammy: Trade unions have a key role to play in promoting the development of learning and skills in the workplace. To help them do this more effectively, we introduced the Union Learning Fund (ULF) in 1998. This funding is helping trade unions use their influence with employees, employers and training providers to encourage greater take-up of learning at work and boost their own capacity as learning organisations. The table sets out how much ULF funding has been awarded to the specific unions in each financial year from 1998/99 up to 2006/07.
	
		
			   
			  Union  1998/99  1999/2000  2000/01  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07 
			 ASLEF  50,000 93,250 88,200 280,000 126,000
			 BECTU 44,000 40,000 59,000 50,934 146,254 57,600 43,200 194,559  
			 BFAWU 34,000 65,946 49,562 182,206 354,745 359,168 850,725  1,190,233 
			 COMMUNITY380,658  
			 CWU  87,950 50,000 210,300 848,000 100,000   1,138,438 
			 GMB 148,349 188,210 343,217 1,079,568 850,049 794,766 342,522 1,933,208 931,835 
			 MU 50,000 50,000 38,36538,300 196,685  
			 NACODS  
			 NUM  
			 TSSA  75,000
			 UCATT 50,000 52,000 167,000 50,000 240,599 40,797 566,766 510,436  
			 UNISON  137,325 560,894 831,704 1,198,095 33,210 801,600 130,000 2,212,528 
			 UNITY/CATU  43,482 118,808 70,070 101,000 
			 AMICUS   1,478,900  3,414,517 
			 AEEU 139,500 166,065 246,350 222,450 1,325,481 67,639
			 MSF 80,135 162,144 343,720 161,981 835,361 427,428
			 GPMU 97,000 158,009 345,535 341,804 889,889 240,133 1,781,950   
			 UNIFI 56,400 19,000 68,200 82,800  1,173,347
			 T and G 50,000 155,680 201,236 421,540 426,128 891,133 588,933 2,319,299 863,600 
		
	
	The recently formed trade union UNITE has not yet received any ULF funding so details have been included of the funding awarded to those unions which have merged to form UNITEAMICUS, T and G, GPMU, AEEU, MSF and UNIFI.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Complaints

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what procedures his Department has in place to assess the performance of designated representative bodies under the Enterprise Act 2002.

Gareth Thomas: In order to become a designated super-complainant, bodies must meet a number of stringent criteria. Designations are reviewed every two years to ensure continued compliance. There are also procedures in place for withdrawal of designation if a body no longer meets the criteria or if they are believed to be abusing the super-complaints process (e.g. for competitive advantage or commercial gain). Any super-complainant must also comply with the Office of Fair Trading's 'Guidance for designated consumer bodies'.

Complaints

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what best practice guidance his Department has issued to representative bodies designated under the Enterprise Act 2002 on communication with consumers who have sought advice on obtaining redress under the Act.

Gareth Thomas: In the case of super-complaints, the Secretary of State has responsibility for the designation of super-complaints bodies. Best practice guidance on the making of super-complaints is the responsibility of the Office of Fair Trading.
	In the case of consumer group claims, the Secretary of State is responsible for the designation of specified bodies. Guidance on bringing consumer group claims is the responsibility of the Competition Appeal Tribunal.

Departmental Accountancy

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what items of his Department's  (a) revenue and  (b) expenditure are uprated using (i) the consumer prices index, (ii) the retail prices index and (iii) other measures of inflation.

Gareth Thomas: Where relevant, contracts which BERR has entered into will contain a clause to adjust expenditure and revenue in accordance with inflation. Revenue derived from charges or fees will follow appropriate guidance, and is subject to an inflator where this is recommended by the fees and charges guide.
	Statutory redundancy payments and guaranteed insolvency payments for employees' (paid from the National Insurance Fund), employment tribunal compensatory awards, payments to British Energy relating to contractual historic spent fuel liabilities, and payments in respect of Coal Health provisions are uprated using RPI. Concessionary Fuel payments are uprated using other measures of inflation.

Departmental Consultants

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what consultancy contracts his Department issued in each year since 2005; what the  (a) value,  (b) purpose and  (c) contractor was in each case; and whether the consultant's report is publicly available in each case.

Gareth Thomas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) published on 10 December 2007,  Official Report, column 203W.

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff working in his Department were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Department does not keep historic records of the number of personal digital assistants (PDA's) that were issued to staff or any information on the gender of the user as PDA's are issued solely on the basis of business need.
	Between 2001 and 2006 there were approximately 400 PDAs in use. These were mainly palm devices although a few HP and Compaq PDAs were purchased. The total has reduced as the number of staff in the Department has decreased. At the beginning of 2007 a Blackberry service was implemented. By January 2008 there were 361 PDAs issued to staff. An analysis of this number shows that 235 of these have been issued to male and 126 to female members of staff.

Departmental Marketing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many posters or displays there are in the offices of his Department and its agencies displaying the names and photographs of Ministers; and what the cost has been of producing such posters or displays in the last five years.

Gareth Thomas: We have one display board in the reception area of BERR's headquarters at 1 Victoria street, London, bearing the names and photographs of its Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and his team. We cannot identify the specific cost of producing this board, as it was produced as part of a wider re-branding exercise. We have produced around 320 A3 colour posters showing the ministerial team in the current year. These have been produced in-house at negligible cost. It is not possible to provide costs for display boards or posters for previous years without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The Insolvency Service has no pictures or displays featuring Ministers in any of their buildings.
	Companies House and UK Trade and Investment have no records of producing posters or displays for their offices with the names and photographs of Ministers in the last five years.

Departmental Special Advisers

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what he expects the estimated annual cost to be of  (a) expenses,  (b) salary,  (c) office space,  (d) administrative support and  (e) special advisers for Lord Jones of Birmingham in his capacity as Minister of State.

John Hutton: Lord Jones is Minister of State for Trade and Investment jointly with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and draws the ministerial salary appropriate to a Lords Minister of State.
	There are three full-time equivalent staff directly employed to support Lord Jones. Two members of the administrative support staff are paid for by BERR, the other is paid for by the FCO. Information on the cost of Lord Jones' support staff cannot be provided as to do so could identify an individual's salary, which is confidential between the individual and the employer.
	Office costs will be accounted for in the 2007-08 departmental annual report and accounts.
	Lord Jones has no special advisers.

Employment: Discrimination

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many cases of age discrimination have been brought before the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service and found in favour of the employee in cases where discrimination took place against an employee for being too  (a) young and  (b) old in each of the last 10 years.

Patrick McFadden: Complaints of alleged age discrimination under the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, which came into operation on 1 October 2006, are made to the Employment Tribunal Service, not ACAS. Such complaints are then usually passed to ACAS for conciliation.
	In the period 1 October 2006-31 December 2007, ACAS received 2,750 cases for conciliation in which a complaint of age discrimination was one of the matters, or the sole matter, complained of. Without a detailed examination of the grounds of each claim, it is not possible to say what proportion of these claims alleged the claimant had been discriminated against on the basis of their being too young or too old, or were related to some other matter.
	Over the same period, excluding those claims which were struck out, ACAS operational records indicate that a resolution was brokered in 90 per cent. of cleared cases in which one of the matters, or the sole matter, complained of was age discrimination. Where cases are not resolved in conciliation, they are subsequently heard by the Tribunal Service.

First Solution Money Transfer: Insolvency

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether the insolvency service investigation into First Solution Money Transfer Limited has concluded.

Patrick McFadden: On 6 July 2007 companies investigation branch ('CIB') (which is part of the Insolvency Service), appointed investigators following the sudden closure and apparent collapse of First Solution Money Transfer Ltd. A number of clients reported having lost money that was sent through this company destined for dependant family overseas.
	On 2 August 2007 CIB petitioned the court to wind up the company and appoint the official receiver as provisional liquidator to protect and preserve the assets. On 21 November 2007 a winding up order was made and the official receiver was appointed liquidator of the company. As a result of a meeting of creditors held on 19 December 2007 an external liquidator from Tenon Recovery was appointed and that firm will now deal with the realisation of assets and distributions to creditors. The official receiver has a further statutory role, to investigate the causes of the company's failure, and to report to the Secretary of State regarding the conduct of the directors in respect of the company's trading, under the terms of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986. Furthermore, the official receiver is under a duty to report any evidence of criminality to an appropriate prosecuting body.
	Meanwhile the CIB appointed investigators are continuing their work and CIB are hopeful of receiving the investigators' final report in the near future and decisions can then be made on further action. It would be inappropriate to issue progress reports in the meantime. CIB's investigation under the Companies Act benefits from the use of compulsory powers, but the Act only permits disclosure of the investigators' report through a statutory gateway. In particular there is no provision which allows publication of the report.

Multinational Companies

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff in his Department are working to promote the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's guidelines for multinational enterprises; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The UK's National Contact Point (NCR) for the OECD Guidelines is currently managed by officials from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. BERR dedicate one full-time official to working on the NCP and are in the process of recruiting a second, while the Foreign Office and DFID both currently contribute 20 per cent. of one official's time.

Natural Gas: Distribution

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  how many households in each  (a) region and  (b) local authority do not have access to mains gas; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what percentage of homes are within 100 yards of a mains gas supply, broken down by  (a) region and  (b) local authority.

Malcolm Wicks: As part of its regional and local energy statistics publication programme, BERR has published the number of domestic gas meter points in each local authority in Great Britain. A document listing the estimates comparing the number of domestic meter points with the estimates of the number of households in each region and local authority for 2004 (the latest year for which both sets of data are complete) has been placed in the Libraries of the House. Corresponding data are not available for Northern Ireland.
	The Government do not hold information about the proximity of homes to gas mains.

Overseas Trade: Far East

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what conclusions have been reached on the scope for raising the UK's trade profile in  (a) Malaysia,  (b) Qatar,  (c) Singapore,  (d) South Korea,  (e) Thailand and  (f) Vietnam, as set out in the July 2006 five year strategy on prosperity in a changing world; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: As outlined in UK Trade and Investment's (UKTI) five year strategy, Prosperity in a Changing World, we have deployed our overseas network resource to achieve a step change in the UK's profile in emerging markets. To date, the following additional resources (UK-based civil servants and local engaged (LE) officers) have already been deployed or are planned for the following countries in question:
	
		
			  Market  New resource deployed  New resource planned 
			 Malaysia One UK-based  
			 Qatar One UK-based and two LE  
			 Singapore One UK-based  
			 South Korea   
			 Thailand One UK-based  
			 Vietnam One UK-based One LE

Post Office: Finance

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the budget was for the running of Post Office Ltd. in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2006 and  (c) 2005; and what it is expected to be in 2008.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the right hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions were held with the Post Office on the timing of the issue of recommendations on post office closures prior to the announcement of dates by the Post Office; on what date he was made aware by the Post Office of the proposed dates for publication of proposals for post office closures under the various area plans; and on what date he first discussed the question of purdah with the Post Office.

Patrick McFadden: Following publication in May 2007 of the Government's response to the public consultation on the Post Office network, my officials have engaged in regular discussions with Post Office Ltd. on the timetable for post office closures, including purdah.

Supercomplainer Procedures

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on how many occasions each of the designated representative bodies under the Enterprise Act 2002 have used the supercomplainer procedures.

Gareth Thomas: Which? has made five super-complaints to the Office of Fair Tradingprivate dentistry, care homes, Northern Ireland banking, credit card interest calculation methods, and the Scottish Legal Profession. Citizens Advice has made twodoorstep selling and payment protection insurance. Postwatch has made one super-complaint, on mail consolidation and the National Consumer Council has made one, on home collected credit. Energywatch has made one complainton billing processesto Ofgem in its (Ofgem's) capacity as a concurrent regulator.

Telephone Services

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which of his Department's  (a) agencies and  (b) non-departmental public bodies collect and monitor information relating to telephone contact centres.

Gareth Thomas: The Department's central records do not contain the information to answer this question. Therefore, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform could answer this question only at disproportionate cost.

Trade Unions: Finance

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance  (a) his Department and  (b) the Certification Officer have produced on whether the fixed costs of (a) photocopiers and (b) other equipment may be fully charged to the general fund of a trade union in circumstances where that equipment is used for political purposes.

Patrick McFadden: Neither the Department nor the Certification Officer has produced guidance on this issue.

UK Trade and Investment

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many significant interventions UK Trade and Investment are expected to make in 2008.

Gareth Thomas: UK Trade and Investment's 2007 comprehensive spending review settlement set high level targets for UKTI. These include annual targets for high value foreign direct investment successes; helping businesses to exploit overseas business opportunities; and increasing the quantity of R and D in the UK through business internationalisation. The targets are set out in full in UKTI's 2007 autumn performance report (Cm 7284, December 2007). Business plans are being put in place to deliver these targets.

UK Trade and Investment

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what changes have been made to the overseas network of UK Trade and Industry to deliver the increase in the UK profile in  (a) China,  (b) India,  (c) Brazil,  (d) Indonesia,  (e) Mexico,  (f) Russia,  (g) Saudi Arabia,  (h) South Africa,  (i) Turkey and  (j) the United Arab Emirates as set out in the July 2005 five year strategy on prosperity in a changing world; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  in which countries in UK Trade and Industry's overseas network staff reallocations took place in the financial years  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 to date; what further reallocations are planned in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09; and if he will list these changes.

Gareth Thomas: As part of UK Trade and Investment's (UKTI) Strategy, Prosperity in a Changing World, 5.6 million of resources has been redeployed to help achieve a step change in the UK's profile in emerging markets. As a direct result of this exercise, UKTI staff resources (full-time equivalents (FTEs) of UK based civil servants and locally employed staff (local)) have now been reinforced in the following markets, which include China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and the UAE:
	
		
			  2006-07 market  FTE UK-based  FTE local 
			 Brazil 3  
			 China 2 2 
			 Hong Kong  1 
			 India 2  
			 Malaysia 1  
			 Mexico   
			 Qatar 1 2 
			 Russia  1 
			 Saudi Arabia  1 
			 South Africa 1  
			 Total 10 7 
		
	
	
		
			  2007-08 market  FTE UK-based  FTE LE 
			 Brazil 3 1 
			 China 7 5 
			 Hong Kong 1 3 
			 India 6 2 
			 Indonesia  1 
			 Malaysia   
			 Mexico 2 3 
			 Russia 1 8 
			 Saudi Arabia  1 
			 Singapore 1  
			 South Africa 1  
			 Taiwan  4 
			 Thailand 1 0 
			 Turkey 1 5 
			 Vietnam 1 0 
			 Total 25 33 
		
	
	
		
			  2007-08 market  FTE UK-based  Planned LE 
			 China 2  
			 Dubai 1  
			 India  7 
			 Saudi Arabia 1 1 
			 Vietnam  1 
			 Total 4 9 
		
	
	
		
			  2008-09 market  FTE UK-based  Planned LE 
			 China   
			 Dubai   
			 Russia 2  
			 Turkey 1  
			 Vietnam   
			 Total 3 0

UK Trade and Investment: Arms Trade

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what effect the transfer of responsibility for defence trade promotion from the Defence Export Services Organisation to UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) will have on the number of  (a) UK and  (b) overseas staff employed by UKTI; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: UKTI is not an employer in its own right. For the majority of its civil service manpower requirements it draws on staff employed by one or other of its two parent DepartmentsBERR and the FCO.
	The transfer of responsibility for defence export support from the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) to UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) will result in approximately 240 full-time equivalent (FTE) posts being transferred to BERR/FCO. Of these, approximately 200 are in the UK and 40 overseas. The precise figures will be determined following detailed analysis of DESO's structure and staffing currently being undertaken as work on the transfer proceeds.
	Of the UK posts, approximately 50 are filled by military staff who will transfer on loan to UKTI/BERR. The remaining approximately 150 UK-based civilian posts will be filled by staff on a combination of permanent and loan transfer terms from MOD to UKTI/BERR. The transfer will increase UKTI's UK presence from just under 900 to just under 1,100 FTEs (a figure that includes both UKTI's headquarters operation and its teams in the nine English regions).
	Of the overseas civilian posts which will transfer to UKTI/FCO, approximately 20 are filled by UK based staff and 20 by locally engaged staff. The transfer will increase UKTI's overseas presence from approximately 1,250 to just under 1,300 FTEs.

UK Trade and Investment: Manpower

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many of UK Trade and Investment's overseas staff are provided by  (a) his Department and  (b) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: UKTI is not an employer in its own right. For the majority of its civil service manpower requirements it draws on staff employed by one or other of its two parent DepartmentsBERR and the FCO.
	The current full-time equivalent (FTE) number of staff working overseas for UK Trade and Investment is approximately 1,250. Of these, 200 FTE positions are filled by UK civil servants, with the remaining 1,050 FTE positions filled by staff recruited locally by the relevant overseas post. Approximately 85 of the UK civil servants positions are filled by BERR members of staff, on loan to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The remainder (115) of these are filled by FCO employees.

UK Trade and Investment: Manpower

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which countries have seen an  (a) increase and  (b) decrease in UK Trade and Investment staff in the context of the July 2006 five year strategy on prosperity in a changing world; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: In the context of the UKTI's five-year strategy, Prosperity in a Changing World, the following countries have seen changes to staff deployment:
	 Increases
	Brazil
	China
	Hong Kong
	India
	Indonesia
	Malaysia
	Mexico
	Qatar
	Russia
	Saudi Arabia
	Singapore
	South Africa
	Taiwan
	Thailand
	Turkey
	Vietnam
	 Decreases
	Australia
	Canada
	Czech Republic
	Denmark
	Estonia
	Finland
	France
	Germany
	Ghana
	Greece
	Japan
	Kuwait
	Latvia
	Lithuania
	Malta
	Nigeria
	Poland
	Slovakia
	Spain
	Sweden
	Trinidad and Tobago
	Uganda
	US
	Uruguay
	An increase in staff resources in Dubai will take place later this year.

Weatherseal Holdings: Complaints

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what consideration he has given to applying the provisions of Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002 in response to the volume of consumer complaints generated by Weatherseal Holdings plc and its subsidiaries.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 23 January 2008
	 : The Secretary of State does not have powers to apply the provisions of Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002. Part 8 is enforced by Trading Standards, the Office of Fair Trading and in Northern Ireland the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. If an enforcer such as Trading Standards receives sufficient complaints or intelligence about a trader they may consider action under the Act.

Weatherseal Holdings: Standards

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of Weatherseal Holdings plc's and its subsidiaries' compliance with the consumer credit legislation.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 23 January 2008
	None. This would be a matter for the Office of Fair Trading.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Council: Film

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the decision of the British Council to close its dedicated film office; what cost savings he expects to be made accordingly; and what evaluation was carried out into the impact of this decision on the effectiveness of the British Council to communicate its key messages abroad.

Jim Murphy: The British Council has a dedicated film department as part of its wider arts group. The British Council arts group is currently undergoing internal restructuring and will be undertaking a public consultation on a new arts strategy. Finalised decisions have not yet been taken on the future of this department. Expertise in film will be retained at its current level and may be increased thereby demonstrating the British Council's commitment to its film activity.
	The British Council anticipates no change to their global arts budget as a result of this restructuring. As film expertise will remain a substantial part of any new structure, no formal evaluation was undertaken.

Christmas

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much Ministers in his Department spent on  (a) Christmas cards and  (b) the postage of Christmas cards in 2007.

Meg Munn: holding  answer of 23 January 2008
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers sent a total of 474 cards in 2007. The cost of the cards came to 493.50, with postage of 76.34. The majority of these cards were delivered using the internal mail system.

Climate Change

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many departmental  (a) Ministers,  (b) civil servants and  (c) consultants, contractors or secondees working full-time or part-time for his Department attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali.

Meg Munn: holding answer 16 January 2008
	10 Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials attended some or all of the 13(th) Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bali, Indonesia. Seven of these staff are normally based in Jakarta, including our ambassador to Indonesia, Charles Humfrey, and three are normally based in London, including my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's Special Representative for Climate Change, John Ashton.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Armed Conflict

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the plans of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to expel the Lord's Resistance Army from the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo; what assessment he has made of such plans; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The Governments of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi signed an agreement to co-operate on the threat of 'negative forces' in September 2007. I welcome this as a sign that illegal armed groups will not be allowed to operate in the region. The Lord's Resistance Army is engaged in a process of peace talks with the Government of Uganda, which we support. I have received no reports to suggest that the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will intervene, while negotiations between the Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army continue.

Departmental Databases

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what audits his Department and its agencies have carried out in relation to personal data and IT equipment in each of the last 10 years.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) main IT system, Firecrest, is accredited to handle classified information in accordance with Government security policies. As such it is subject to constant monitoring, but it would not be in the public interest to disclose in detail the methods used.
	Personal data have been included within our usual information audits of individual Departments, which measure performance against FCO information management policies. Until now, personal data have not been subject to separate central audit. We are, however, reviewing our procedures as part of the Government's data handling review, see paragraph 29 of the Interim Progress Report available at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/upload/assets/www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publications/reports/data/data_handling.pdf.

Departmental Public Finance

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will break down his Department's planned near cash funding by strategic objective, for financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is a complex organisation whose structures in the UK and overseas reflect a mix of geographical and functional responsibilities. Staff costs account for approximately 55 per cent. of departmental discretionary near-cash expenditure. I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 15 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1140W: the vast majority of Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff work on more than one strategic objective. It is therefore not possible to provide a full answer on the basis requested. Nevertheless the following table setting out planned expenditure on strategic programme activities for the next three years illustrates the priority being accorded to work in the four areas highlighted in the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 23 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 52-53 WS.
	
		
			   million (near-cash) 
			   2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Counter Terrorism/Counter Proliferation 35.30 41.00 56.00 
			 Low Carbon/High Growth Economy 13.70 19.70 24.70 
			 Strong International System 9.35 9.35 9.35 
			 Conflict Prevention and Resolution 19.30 19.30 19.30

Departmental Redundancy

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of redundancies in his Department in the 12 months preceding  (a) 30 June 2004,  (b) 30 June 2005 and  (c) 30 June 2006.

Meg Munn: It is the policy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to do all we can to avoid compulsory redundancies. But, following the 2004 spending review, we have carried out a restructuring exercise to realise efficiency savings. This early retirement programme will enable us to reduce the size of the senior management structure in the FCO by 18 per cent. by 31 March 2008. The following totals also include compensatory early retirement packages for staff in the delegated grades involved in restructuring exercises:
	
		
			   Total () 
			 12 months preceding 30 June 2004 3,217,003 
			 12 months preceding 30 June 2005 10,901,738 
			 12 months preceding 30 June 2006 16,189,129 
		
	
	The amounts quoted include FCO costs to the Cabinet Office to cover the additional years included in compensatory packages, compensatory lump sums under the Principle Civil Service Pension Scheme and annual pension payments until the officer reaches 60.
	All payments to early retirees have been calculated and paid in strict accordance with the terms of the standard Civil Service Compensation Schemes.

Embassies

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2007,  Official Report, column 158W, on embassies, if he will list the  (a) (i) name, (ii) location and (iii) function of the (A) seven embassies, (B) four embassy offices, (C) one office and (D) six consulates opened since 1997 and  (b) three consulates upgraded to embassies.

David Miliband: The missions referred to in my answer to the right hon. Member on 10 December 2007,  Official Report, column 158W are as follows:
	
		
			   Post name  Country  Status 
			  Posts opened
			 2000-01 Tripoli Libya British Embassy 
			 2001-02 Kabul Afghanistan British Embassy 
			 2001-02 Pyongyang Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea British Embassy 
			 2001-02 Dushanbe Tajikistan British Embassy 
			 2002-03 Chisinau Moldova British Embassy 
			 2002-03 Dili(1) East Timor British Embassy 
			 2004-05 Baghdad Iraq British Embassy 
			 1997-98 BanjaLuka Bosnia and Herzegovina British Embassy Office 
			 2004-05 Basra Iraq British Embassy Office 
			 2004-05 Kirkuk Iraq British Embassy Office 
			 2006-07 Almaty(2) Kazakhstan British Embassy Office 
			 1999-2000 Pristina Kosovo (Serbia) British Office 
			 1999-2000 Chongqing China British Consulate General 
			 1999-2000 Gothenburg Sweden British Consulate General 
			 2000-01 Conakry Guinea British Consulate 
			 2000-01 Bamako(1) Mali British Consulate 
			 2000-01 Port-au-Prince Haiti British Consulate 
			 2000-01 Denver USA British Consulate 
			 
			  Posts upgraded to embassies
			 2001-02 Asmara Eritrea British Embassy 
			 2001-02 Bamako(1) Mali British Embassy 
			 2002-03 Conakry Guinea British Embassy 
			 (1) Posts opened and closed during this period. (2) Office left in place after embassy relocation to Astana.  Note: YearApril to March 
		
	
	The size and role of British embassies and high commissions differ from post to post, but most are comprised of the following Sections: Consular, Visa, Commercial, Political/Press and Public Affairs, and Management. A British embassy office is a subsidiary of the embassy.
	Consulates and Consulate Generals are subordinate posts which carry out a range of functions mainly comprising of Consular, Commercial and Visa work.
	The British Office in Pristina is responsible for managing the UK's relationships with the UN Mission in Kosovo, the Provisional Institutions of Self-government and other local actors.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to manage our overseas network to reflect changing demands and challenges, ensuring that our resources are aligned with our priorities, and that the UK has a cost-effective and flexible network of overseas representation. We will continue to adjust our estate assets in individual countries to meet our operational needs.

Gaza: Politics and Government

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent meetings he has held with the government of Israel on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Kim Howells: Our ambassador in Tel Aviv regularly raises our concerns with the Israeli government about the security and humanitarian situation in Gaza. My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development issued statements about the situation in Gaza on 30 October 2007, 11 January 2008 and 21 January 2008.
	Most recently, I raised these concerns with the Israeli ambassador on 17 January 2008. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is due to speak to Foreign Minister Livni today, and will again make clear our concerns.

Gaza: Politics and Government

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made, together with European Union member states' foreign ministers, to Israel on the situation in Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be discussing the situation with his European colleagues at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on 28 January.
	The Government continues to believe that Israeli security and Palestinian suffering and hardship need to be addressed together, and they can only be addressed through mutual recognition, which will be vital to long-term stability in the area.
	As my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for International Development said on 21 January:
	The recent escalation of violence between Gazans and Israelis is extremely grave.
	Our ambassador in Tel Aviv regularly raises our concerns with the Israeli government about the security and humanitarian situation in Gaza.
	My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for International Development also issued statements about the situation in Gaza on 30 October 2007, 11 January 2008 and 21 January 2008.
	Most recently, I raised the situation in Gaza with the Israeli ambassador on 17 January 2008.

Middle East: Diplomatic Service

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to his Sunday Times article of 6 January 2008, what his estimate is of the cost of transferring staff from Europe to the Middle East and South Asia.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's written ministerial statement of 23 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 52-3WS.
	Detailed plans for the transfer of staff resources from Europe to the Middle East and South Asia are still at an early stage. We will not be in a position to estimate costs until we have finalised timings and confirmed all the specific changes that we will need to make.

Thomas Dandois

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations he has received on the detention of Thomas Dandois, a joint British-French national in Niger;
	(2)  if he will discuss the case of Thomas Dandois, currently detained in Niger, with the Foreign Minister of France;
	(3)  if he will make representations to the Government of Niger requesting the release of Thomas Dandois.

Meg Munn: Mr. Dandois and his French colleague were released from prison on bail on 18 January. There were no travel restrictions placed upon them as a condition of their bail and they have returned to France. The judgment on their case will take place at a later date.
	Mr. Dandois is a dual French-British national who entered Niger on his French passport. He and his colleague were given consular assistance by the French embassy in Niger. The Government worked with the French embassy, through their representatives in Niamey, and with the French Foreign Ministry to clarify the status of the charges against Mr. Dandois. We will continue to liaise with the French Government and monitor the case.
	We have received one previous parliamentary question, fourteen representations from hon. Members and a Peer and a number of letters from members of the public on this case.

JUSTICE

Departmental Recruitment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the policy of British jobs for British workers will affect his Department's recruitment policy.

Bridget Prentice: The Ministry of Justice will continue to apply the civil service nationality rules in respect of eligibility for employment in their recruitment and appointment procedures.

Elections: Fraud

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated research on the effectiveness in preventing electoral fraud of requiring electors in polling stations to sign for their ballot paper.

Bridget Prentice: Seven local authorities undertook electoral pilot schemes that required electors to provide their signature before being issued with their ballot papers in polling stations at the May 2006 local elections. Four local authorities did so at the May 2007 local elections.
	The Government have not commissioned research on this issue. However, in its statutory evaluation of the pilot schemes the Electoral Commission noted that public opinion research carried out in the pilot scheme areas suggested that requiring voters to provide a signature may provide a deterrent effect in relation to personation.
	The Government continues to believe that requiring electors to sign for their ballot paper will help to deter opportunists from defrauding the system and improve levels of public confidence.

Harassment Act 1997

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) investigations and  (b) prosecutions there were under the Harassment Act 1997 in each year since the Act came into force.

Maria Eagle: Information covering defendants proceeded against under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 since the act came into force on 16 July 1997 has been provided in the table. Data are provided on the principal offence basis and cover the period from 1997 to 2006 in England and Wales.
	
		
			   Number proceeded against 
			 1997 780 
			 1998 6,194 
			 1999 7,934 
			 2000 8,631 
			 2001 8,331 
			 2002 8,335 
			 2003 8,434 
			 2004 8,501 
			 2005 8,425 
			 2006 8,101 
		
	
	Information on investigations is not held by the Ministry of Justice.

Langley House Trust

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the terms of the service level agreement with the Langley House Trust are for the provision of secure beds for persons supervised in the community; and when the contract was let.

Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service has a service level agreement (SLA) with the Langley House Trust, under which the trust is funded to provide two enhanced supervision beds at its Longcroft project for offenders assessed as high risk of serious harm on release from custody who are also identified as having mental health problems.
	The National Offender Management Service has a second SLA with the trust, under which the trust is funded to provide accommodation in the community for offenders who are subject to statutory supervision by offender managers in probation boards. The level of supervision required for each offender is determined by the offender manager, taking into account the facilities at each trust project.
	The current SLAs commenced on 1 April 2007 and will run until 31 March 2008.

Langley House Trust

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in Langley House Trust accommodation have  (a) absconded,  (b) breached the conditions of their curfew and  (c) breached the hostels' rules in another way in each year of the contract.

Maria Eagle: Figures for residents whose places are funded by the National Offender Management Service under the SLAs arc not recorded separately; the figures below are for the whole of the trust resident population. The proportion of trust residents under the SLAs during 2007-08 was around a third.
	In 2007-08,  (a) five trust residents absconded, and  (b) 46 breached the conditions of their curfew, including three who had absconded. While all breaches of hostel rules, including minor ones such as use of bad language, are recorded in individual residents' files, overall numbers are not compiled (c). However, where breaches of rules lead to a resident's eviction or recall to prison, that is recorded. In 2007-08, 99 residents were evicted, of whom 40 were recalled to prison,
	One resident under the enhanced supervision SLA absconded during 2007-08. None breached curfew, and as explained above, there are no available records of other rule breaches.

Langley House Trust

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he is intending to review the contract with the Langley House Trust for the provision of secure accommodation places.

Maria Eagle: Yes. The current service level agreements with the Langley House Trust came into effect on 1 April 2007 and will expire on 31 March 2008. We will review the position in light of our operational requirements before deciding whether to renew the arrangements and, if so, on what terms.

Langley House Trust

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how performance against the contract with the Langley House Trust is monitored.

Maria Eagle: The trust provides a monthly return as set out in the service level agreements (SLAs), covering various matters, such as the admission and departure of offenders, breaches and convictions for further offences. Officials use the monthly returns to monitor the trust's performance against the SLA, including through regular meetings during the year with the Trust's Director of Offender Management Additionally, under the terms of the enhanced supervision SLA, the trust is required to complete a brief progress report on each resident and a departure report following the end of the placement.
	An annual report on performance is also to be submitted. The trust is to co-operate with inspections and audits, internal and external as required and attend meetings as convened by the Public Protection Unit in the National Offender Management Service as is reasonable. The Ministry of Justice is currently carrying out an audit of the public protection processes in the trust.

Langley House Trust

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there have been breaches of the terms of the contract with the Langley House Trust since it was let.

Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service is aware of two breaches of the service level agreements (SLAs) since they were let. There has been one breach of the main SLA which was in respect of the performance standards audit, which was not finalised by the deadline, but is being finalised now.
	Under the terms of the enhanced supervision SLA, the National Offender Management Service is aware of one occasion where checks were not made on a resident as frequently as was requested by the local multi-agency public protection panel.

Legal Aid

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many legal aid representation orders have been granted by magistrates courts in each month since the re-introduction of means testing for legal aid in 2006.

Maria Eagle: The following table shows the information requested. The numbers of orders reported as being granted each month are subject to minor adjustments as cases are processed and progress through the system.
	
		
			   Representation orders granted 
			 October 2006 34,254 
			 November 2006 44,281 
			 December 2006 34,815 
			 January 2007 47,842 
			 February 2007 43,790 
			 March 2007 46,849 
			 April 2007 43,153 
			 May 2007 47,501 
			 June 2007 47,063 
			 July 2007 47,974 
			 August 2007 47,272 
			 September 2007 43,198 
			 October 2007 48,573 
			 November 2007 45,686 
			 December 2007 33,968

Legal Aid

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of legal aid in the UK was in each of the last 10 years.

Maria Eagle: The cost of legal aid in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland for each of the last 10 financial years is shown in the following table. Responsibility for legal aid in Scotland is devolved and is therefore a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
	
		
			   million net 
			   1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 England and Wales 1,529.6 1,628.1 1,550.1 1,663.7 1,717.0 1,908.5 2,076.7 2,038.0 2,027.8 1,980.3 
			 Northern Ireland 28.9 30.1 34.7 37.7 41.5 45.0 49.9 58.9 57.5 69.0 
			 Total 1,558 1,658 1,585 1,701 1,759 1,954 2,127 2,097 2,085 2,049

Legal Aid: Expenditure

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent on legal aid in each of the last 10 years  (a) in cash terms and  (b) as a proportion of annual total public expenditure.

Maria Eagle: Table 1 as follows shows legal aid cash expenditure in each of the last 10 years. Table 2 as follows shows that expenditure for both England and Wales and for Northern Ireland as a proportion of total managed expenditure. Legal aid in Scotland is a devolved matter, funded out of the Scottish block grant which also forms part of total managed expenditure.
	When compared to other main domestic areas of public spending, legal aid has been one of the fastest growing areas of public sector spending over the past years. For example, the average annual real-terms growth of legal aid over the past 25 years to 2006-07 was 5.7 per cent. This compares with 4.4 per cent. for social care and protection; 4.2 per cent. for public order and safety; 4.1 per cent. for health and 1.9 per cent. for education.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   million, net 
			   England and Wales  Northern Ireland  Total 
			 1997-98 1529.6 28.9 1,558 
			 1998-99 1628.1 30.1 1,658 
			 1999-2000 1550.1 34.7 1,585 
			 2000-01 1663.7 37.7 1,701 
			 2001-02 1717.0 41.5 1,759 
			 2002-03 1908.5 45.0 1,954 
			 2003-04 2076.7 49.9 2,127 
			 2004-05 2038.0 58.9 2,097 
			 2005-06 2027.8 57.5 2,085 
			 2006-07 1980.3 69.0 2,049 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2 
			  Percentage 
			   England and Wales  Northern Ireland  Total 
			 1997-98 0.47 0.01 0.48 
			 1998-99 0.49 0.01 0.50 
			 1999-2000 0.45 0.01 0.46 
			 2000-01 0.46 0.01 0.47 
			 2001-02 0.44 0.01 0.45 
			 2002-03 0.45 0.01 0.46 
			 2003-04 0.46 0.01 0.47 
			 2004-05 0.41 0.01 0.43 
			 2005-06 0.39 0.01 0.40 
			 2006-07 0.36 0.01 0.37

Legal Aid: Fees and Charges

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the new legal aid fee scheme on the number of legal practices undertaking criminal legal aid work.

Maria Eagle: Reforms to criminal legal aid were introduced on 14 January 2008 and included the introduction of fixed fees for police station work. Prior to the introduction of these reforms a national re-tender of the General Criminal Contract, which provides access to legal aid work for providers, took place in October last year.
	Of those firms that already held a contract, 2,295 re-tendered, while a further 90 applications were received from new providers. In total there has been a reduction of only 5 per cent. in the number of providers delivering Criminal Legal Aid work under the new contract, which also came into effect on 14 January. This has had no impact on the accessibility of legal advice to clients in criminal legal aid cases.

Legal Services Commission: Fees and Charges

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much money the Legal Services Commission has received by way of  (a) recovered costs and  (b) interest on statutory charges in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is shown in the following table. Data for the years 1997-98 to 1999-2000 relate to the former Legal Aid Board, which was replaced by the Legal Services Commission in 2000. The reduction in recovered costs was due to the removal of money cases such as personal injury from scope in 2000 following the introduction of conditional fee arrangements in 1995.
	
		
			  000 
			  Financial year  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Recovered costs 37,850 36,550 27,190 23,440 23,220 13,450 18,440 5,590 5,950 4,570 
			 Interest on Statutory charges 3,290 1,040 5,180 6,130 8,100 8,230 8,130 7,030 9,180 9,450

Members: Correspondence

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he will reply to the letter of 22 November 2007 from the hon. Member for Hornchurch on a new prison at Beam Reach, Rainham.

David Hanson: I replied to the hon. Member on 16 January 2008.

Ministry of Justice

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he will publish the Brennan report on the structure of his Department.

Jack Straw: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Nick Herbert) on 15 January 2008,  Official Report, column l206W.

National Offender Management Information System

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost to date of developing the C-NOMIS IT system for prisons and probation in England and Wales has been.

David Hanson: The total expenditure on the NOMIS Programme, of which C-NOMIS forms the very major part, to the end of December 2007 is estimated at 179 million.
	Financial and business benefit from work completed on C-NOMIS is preserved. Nearly all of the expenditure attributable to C-NOMIS is relevant to its future use in HMPS as 'Prison NOMIS'. The other projects in the programme will continue to derive benefit from the investment and work to date.

National Offender Management Information System

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the financial consequences for his Department's budget are of not rolling out C-NOMIS to the Probation Service.

David Hanson: The C-NOMIS project as originally intended included the roll out of C-NOMIS to the Probation Service. This was unaffordable and the revised plans now ensure that the overall costs will be contained within the Department's budget. The business change and continuity consequences of not rolling out C-NOMIS to the probation service have been handled by other measures contained within the overall NOMIS programme.

National Offender Management Information System

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the developers of C-NOMIS, EDS, will be paid any compensation as a consequence of the system not being rolled out to the probation service.

David Hanson: EDS will receive no compensation as a result of the C-NOMIS system not being rolled-out to probation areas. 'Prison NOMIS' continues the development of C-NOMIS, preserving the financial and business benefit from work completed to date.

National Offender Management Information System

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of how the decision not to roll out C-NOMIS to the probation service will affect its ability to comply with end-to-end management of offenders.

David Hanson: Following the NOMIS programme strategic review, and taking into account the Offender Management (OM) strategic review, the newly revised and deliverable NOMIS programme will ensure both the protection of the public and the continued successful implementation of the Offender Management Model and end-to-end offender management.
	The programme will ensure that offender managers have access to necessary information to effectively manage offenders within custody and the community. Building on and preserving work completed to date, the programme will enable staff in both prisons and probation access to information required to support OM.

National Offender Management Information System

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his original estimate was of the final cost of rolling out C-NOMIS to the Prison Service and Probation Service.

David Hanson: When originally initiated in June 2004, the estimated lifetime costs, before VAT, cost of capital and depreciation was 234 million.

Personal Injury

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing measures to cap the level of fees for legal services in personal injury claims cases; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take following the consultation exercise on case track limits and the claims process for personal injury claims that closed on 13 July 2007 in relation to personal injury claims; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what plans he has to reform the civil justice system in respect of personal injury claims; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  when his Department plans to publish the responses to the recent consultation on case track limits and the process for personal injury claims.

Bridget Prentice: The consultation paper: Case track limits and claims process for personal injury claims set out proposals for improving the system for certain personal injury claims, including proposals for fixed recoverable costs. These proposals represent a significant reform of the claims process for personal injury claims and it has been important to give careful consideration to the numerous and diverse range of views that we have received. A summary of responses and the Government's next steps will be set out in the Response to Consultation, which we aim to publish by the end of March.

Personal Injury

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the impact of referral fees on the personal injury claims process; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Ministry of Justice has not assessed the impact of referral fees in personal injury claims. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is responsible for the regulation of lawyers and ensuring that they comply with Rule 9 of the Solicitors Code of Conduct 2007 which sets out the requirements on referral fees. The SRA are currently reviewing the provisions on referral fees and considering a range of options to improve compliance with Rule 9.

Peterborough Prison: Prisoners Release

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convicted prisoners held at HMP Peterborough were released early as a result of prison overcrowding in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The End of Custody Licence was introduced on 29 June 2007. Eligible prisoners serving between four weeks and four years may be released under licence from prison up to up to 18 days before their automatic release date.
	Up to the end of November 2007, the latest date for which figures are available, there had been 325 prisoners released under the End of Custody Licence scheme from HMP Peterborough; 77 of these were during the month of November.
	The total number of releases by offence group, sentence length, age, gender, ethnicity and prison establishment have been published on the Ministry of Justice website for the first week of the scheme, the remainder of July, and every subsequent month since then.
	The monthly published figures can be found on separate links under the following main link:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/endofcustodylicence.htm
	Data on releases up to the end of December 2007 will be published at the end of January 2008 according to the schedule of MoJ statistical publications
	http://www/justice.gov.uk/docs/moj-stats-schedule.pdf
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisons: Drugs

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what key performance indicator is used to assess the effectiveness of drug treatment in prisons.

David Hanson: The key performance indicators listed in the table as follows are currently used to monitor drug treatment performance. Research indicates that prison drug treatment, with effective follow-up in the community, can reduce the level of reoffending by at least 10 per cent.
	
		
			   Target 
			  Key performance indicators  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Number of prisoners entering clinical services (Detoxification/Maintenance) 27,000 27,500 27,500 
			 Number of prisoners undergoing initial assessment(1) 61,400 61,400 61,400 
			 Percentage of prisoners completing treatment programmes they have started 65 65 65 
			 Random Mandatory Drug Testing (MDT) positive rate (2) (2) (2) 
			 (1) Through CARATs (counselling, assessment, referral, advice and throughcare services) or YPSMS (young persons substance misuse service). (2) Improve on previous year.

Prisons: Drugs

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 1 May 2007,  Official Report, column 1601W, on Drugs: prisons, how many detainees began clinical drug treatment on  (a) detoxification and  (b) extended prescribing programmes in 2006-07.

David Hanson: During 2005-06, 51,520 prisoners entered prison detoxification and drug maintenance programmes.
	Since April 2007, these two interventions have been reported separately. In the period April to October 2007, the following clinical interventions for prisoners with drug dependence in prisons were provided:  (a) detoxification 26,932; and  (b) extended prescribing 7,263. This is a total of 34,195 interventions.
	 Note:
	P. Simon data can fluctuate as prison establishments finalise their entries.
	 Source:
	P. Simon database, HM Prison Service.

Prisons: Education

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what steps the Government have taken to improve education and training provision in prisons since 1997;
	(2)  what progress has been made on developing an integrated Learning and Skills Service as indicated in the Government's Reducing Re-offending National Action Plan.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	The transfer of responsibility for offender learning from the Home Office in 2001, to the Department for Education and Skills, now the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, brought the offender learning agenda within mainstream learning and skills arrangements. This led to the introduction of Heads of Learning and Skills, a new senior role within each prison responsible for co-ordinating delivery. Offender learning is inspected by Ofsted (and its predecessors) to the same standards as mainstream education, with published reports since 2002.
	Between August 2005 and August 2006, the Learning and Skills Council completed the introduction of a new Offender Learning and Skills Service. This service is designed to integrate delivery both inside and outside prisons, as well as ensuring the quality is consistent with that available in the outside community.
	The new delivery arrangements are governed by the policy framework set out in the 'Reducing Re-Offending Through Skills and Employment' Next Steps document, published jointly by the then Department for Education and Skills, the Home Office, and the Department for Work and Pensions in December 2006. Many of the further changes set out in the Next Steps document are now being piloted in our two test bed regions, the West Midlands and East of England.

Prisons: Young People

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many juvenile sentenced receptions there were in to  (a) prisons,  (b) local authority units and  (c) secure training centres in England and Wales for (i) less than one month, (ii) between one and three months, (iii) between three and six months and (iv) between six and 12 months in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The figures for  (a), the number of juveniles received under sentence into all prison establishments in England and Wales can be found in the following table.
	
		
			  Sentence length  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Less than or equal to one month 26 48 55 76 108 
			 Greater than one month and less than or equal to three months 931 32 162 200 239 
			 Greater than three months and less than or equal to six months 2,411 2,141 2,257 2,361 2,246 
			 Greater than six months and less than 12 months 967 876 867 854 864 
		
	
	For  (b), local authority secure children's homes, and  (c) secure training centres, data to provide the figures in the form requested are not available. Obtaining the information would involve extensive manual work on individual case files which would constitute disproportionate cost.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Security

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the safety of departmental staff working in Afghanistan following the bombing of the Serena Hotel.

Douglas Alexander: On security grounds we cannot release details of security assessments. Staff safety and security remain the top priority and every security incident is considered carefully. Current security provisions are under constant review, to ensure that we provide maximum safety to our staff. We have already made a number of enhancements as a result of recent incidents.

Africa: Fossil Fuels

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research his Department has  (a) undertaken and  (b) evaluated on the effect on poverty levels of his Department's expenditure relating to the oil and gas extractive industries in Africa.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) has no direct investments in the oil and gas industry in Africa. DFID does provide assistance to governments to improve their capacity to make best use of oil and gas revenues, though most of this investment is not in Africa. Recent expenditure in Africa includes Sudan, where DFID looked at the impact of oil and gas development on the war and its impact on peace and the social and economic situation.
	DFID supports the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) which aims to increase the potential of extractive industries as an engine for economic growth and sustainable development. It seeks to improve transparency over payments made to governments by extractives companies and revenues received by governments in resource rich developing countries and also works on building mechanisms to hold governments accountable for these revenues. We have measured impacts to date in terms of the number of countries signed up to implement EITI, of which nine are African countries. DFID has also provided approximately 2.4 million in bilateral support to the Nigerian Government. Evidence of EITI's success is currently anecdotal. For instance, over 90 per cent. of Nigeria's revenue comes from oil and gas. Since its inception in 2001 the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has carried out technical studies which so far have led to the recovery of 500 million in otherwise forgone revenues. The new independent EITI Secretariat will conduct impact reviews and qualitative evaluation work as part of their annual review. These will be presented at the next EITI Conference which will take place in the autumn.
	To date DFID has spent approximately 6.9 million to support EITI work. The majority of this support has been in the form of contributions to the EITI Multi Donor Trust fund (MDTF) (about 3.32 million) which supports resource rich developing country governments to implement EITI.
	Nine African countries that have been assessed by the EITI Board to be successfully implementing EITI are Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Nigeria. These countries have now been assessed as candidate countries.
	Seven African countries that are implementing EITI and will be assessed in 2008 by the EITI Board are Chad, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Sao Tome and Principe, and Sierra Leone.

Britain-Russia Development Partnership

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  when his Department last reviewed the Britain-Russia Development Partnership; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Foreign Secretary on the delivery of aid to Russia since November 2006; what the outcome was of these discussions; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Following a review of our development partnership with Russia in 2004, DFID closed its bilateral programme in March 2007.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have not held specific discussions on Russia aid delivery since November 2006. We continue to channel UK support through multilateral organisations working in Russia, for example the European Union, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank.
	As a large middle income country and G8 member, Russia has a growing potential to contribute to global and regional poverty reduction. This is an issue we have already begun to explore with Russia.

Climate Change: Agriculture

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research his Department is undertaking to examine the effectiveness of agricultural adaption to climate change in low income countries.

Gareth Thomas: The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), to which DFID contributes 20 million per year, has been researching how effectively farmers in low income countries cope with the effects of climatic variability for nearly four decades. CGIAR centres have strong capabilities in crop breeding, natural resources management and policy development, which have been used to help farmers deal with vulnerability.
	CGIAR centres are increasing their research on areas affected by climate change.

Departmental Accountancy

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what items of his Department's  (a) revenue and  (b) expenditure are uprated using (i) the consumer price index, (ii) the retail price index and (iii) other measures of inflation.

Gareth Thomas: We do not centrally record items of revenue and expenditure which are uprated using indexes and other measures of inflation; we are not therefore able to provide a comprehensive list. We have, however, identified the following items:
	
		
			   Expenditure 
			 Consumer prices index Contract: ChinaAIDS Roadmap Technical Support project 
			   
			 Retail prices index 1. DFID's overseas pensions 
			  2. The following contracts: 
			  (a) ARIES (Activities Reporting Information E-System)implementation partner/software supplier 
			  (b) Quest EDRM (Electronic Document and Records Management System) 
			  (c) East Kilbride headquarters building maintenance, which includes the retail prices index inflator, in conjunction with BMI (building maintenance information) cost indices 
			   
			  Other measures of inflation  
			 Average earnings index 1. The following contracts: 
			  (a) Human resources payroll database 
			  (b) Bespoke software supporthuman resources payroll 
			 Other (c) Palace Street headquarters security guarding

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff in his Department were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: The numbers of Personal Digital Assistants issued in each year to staff in the Department for International Development were as follows:
	
		
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Male (1) (1) 165 39 (1) 45 51 
			 Female (1) (1) 120 37 (1) 30 30 
			 Unknown (1) (1) 8 2 (1) 0 1 
			 Total (1) (1) 293 78 (1) 75 82 
			 (1) no data

Departmental Manpower

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department work on programmes on  (a) education,  (b) health,  (c) nutrition and  (d) child protection; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: Thematic programmes in the Department for International Development (DFID) are managed in a number of different ways, and by advisory and administrative staff based in geographical departmentsboth in the UK and across our network of over 50 offices overseas. Those staff do not necessarily work exclusively on any one programme, and they are in turn supported by staff in our central policy and research teams. DFID's staff also contribute indirectly to the thematic programmes managed by the large multi-lateral donor organisations and non-governmental organisations.
	The information requested is not therefore available at the level of detail required. However, as an indicator of the numbers involved, DFID currently employs 84 specialist health and education advisers, and a further 96 administrative and support staff whose job titles indicate that the management of health, education and related programmes forms a significant component of their work.

Gaza: Politics and Government

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Shahid Malik: In 2007-08 DFID has given 15.6 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to provide essential services such as food, housing and education to Palestinian refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the region. Refugees make up 70 per cent. of Gaza's population. We have provided 15 million to the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) since 2006. The TIM funds emergency fuel and electricity production, water and sanitation services for Gaza, as well as health services and allowances for Palestinian Government workers in Gaza and the West Bank. We have also given 1 million to fund ICRC's emergency appeal for the West Bank and Gaza.
	The recent deterioration in the humanitarian situation is not due to a lack of international assistance. It is the result of Israel's decision to close all crossings into the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, the Secretary of State for International Development and the Foreign Secretary issued a statement expressing deep concern about the situation and calling on all parties to facilitate opening of the crossings.
	We are encouraged by Israel's decision today to allow limited deliveries of industrial fuel into Gaza but we will continue to monitor the humanitarian situation closely.

HIV Infection: Children

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he plans to take to ensure that the  (a) needs and  (b) rights of children affected by AIDS will remain a priority; when the updated strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS is published.

Shahid Malik: The needs and rights of children affected by AIDS will continue to be a UK priority when 'Taking Action', the UK strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS in the developing world, is published later this year. It will also be a focus of high-level discussion at the forthcoming Global Partners forum on children affected by AIDS.
	We are grateful to a number of organisations, including the Working Group on Orphans and Vulnerable Children of the UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development, for their supportive engagement in the work that is under way to update the strategy.

Kosovo: Overseas Aid

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of his Department's spending in Kosovo is assigned to conflict prevention, particularly small arms eradication; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Although no DFID spending in Kosovo has been assigned to conflict prevention the UK has allocated funding through the joint DFID, FCO and MOD Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP).
	In 2007-08 3 million was allocated from the GCPP for conflict prevention in Kosovo, mainly for the return of refugees, demobilisation of former Kosovan combatants, improvements in Kosovo's Ministries of Justice and Internal Affairs, and resolving property rights in Kosovo.
	In 2007 the UK Government, working with the Provisional Institutions of Self Government and the United Nations Development Programme, provided 73,000 for the collection and destruction of seized small arms. DFID, the FCO and the MOD are actively considering future funding of programmes in this area for 2008.

Malnutrition: Finance

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department's budget was allocated to tackling malnutrition as part of his Department's aim to meet Millennium Development Goal One in each of the last five years; what the projected budget is for the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: DFID does not separately record investment specifically on malnutrition but focuses its expenditure on reducing the causes of chronic malnutrition by investing in essential public services such as the provision of health, water, nutrition and education, as well as programmes that give the poor income and food.

Overseas Aid

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of overseas development aid and assistance was spent on population and reproductive health in  (a) 2001-02,  (b) 2002-03,  (c) 2003-04,  (d) 2004-05,  (e) 2005-06 and  (f) 2006-07.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 21 January 2008
	DFID is the second largest donor to the health sector. Details on the amount of DFID's bilateral expenditure spent in the health sector and directly on population and reproductive health activities over the last six years are shown in the table.
	It is difficult to estimate exactly how much of DFID's support to the health sector goes to population and reproductive health. DFID uses a range of funding mechanisms, including bilateral health system financing via government budgets, health sector support and multilateral support, and directly targeted projects. Many of these funding streams cannot easily be attributed to specific components of overall health improvement.
	
		
			  Table 1: DFID bilateral expenditure on population and reproductive health activities, 2002-03 to 2006-07, ( million) 
			Of which:  
			   Total DFID bilateral expenditure  expenditure in the health sector  Population and reproductive health activities  Proportion: Population and reproductive health over DFID total bilateral expenditure 
			 2001-02 1,511.2 230.5 36.8 2.4 
			 2002-03 1,745.9 268.3 39.0 2.2 
			 2003-04 1,935.1 310.7 44.5 2.3 
			 2004-05 2,110.9 368.1 40.8 1.9 
			 2005-06 2,502.0 440.4 20.5 0.8 
			 2006-07 2,561.8 489.6 28.6 1.1 
		
	
	This trend reflects the changing ways in which we give aid, using a combination of budget support and multilateral assistance. The figures in the third column only include directly targeted support and exclude other expenditure which will have an impact on population and reproductive health in developing countries such as broader support to strengthen health systems. DFID bilateral expenditure in the health sector grew by an annual average of 16.3 per cent. over 2001-02 to 2006-07 and totalled 2.1 billion over this period.
	DFID also provides multilateral assistance to a range of organisations, some of which is used on population and reproductive health activities. For example, DFID provided over 126 million in support to the UN's Population Fund over the period 2001-02 to 2006-07.

Oxfam: Finance

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much Oxfam received from his Department in each of the last three years, broken down by project or programme; and how much is expected to be given in the next financial year.

Gareth Thomas: Total DFID expenditure through Oxfam is set out in the table. Under the current Public Partnership Agreement (PPA) Oxfam GB and DFID collaborate on three strategic areas: sustainable livelihoods; strengthening the voice of the poor in decision-making; and supporting young people as advocates for pro-poor change. In addition, DFID supports Oxfam GB's humanitarian and campaigning work.
	
		
			  DFID expenditure through Oxfam ( thousand) 
			   Total  Partnership Programme Agreement  Humanitarian Assistance  Country and other DFID Programme 
			 2004-05 19,006 7,228 9,283 2,494 
			 2005-06 20,894 9,500 9,173 2,220 
			 2006-07 19,648 8,900 9,795 953 
		
	
	Expenditure data for 2007-08 will not be available until after the end of the fiscal year.

Russia: Overseas Aid

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid was provided to Russia in each of the last three years; what proportion of each year's total was  (a) direct government to government assistance,  (b) assistance to Russian civil society and  (c) funding for international institutions and non-governmental organisations; how much will be granted for the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: Details of the UK's bilateral assistance and imputed multilateral assistance to Russia in each of the last three years are laid out in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: UK total bilateral gross public expenditure (GPEX) on development 2004-05 2006-07 
			   Total UK bilateral GPEX to Russia (000)  Proportion going directly to Government of Russia  Proportion going to Russian civil society (percentage)  Proportion going to international and non-governmental bodies (percentage) 
			 2004-05 15,133 0 10 90 
			 2005-06 5,684 0 13 87 
			 2006-07 5,945 0 7 93 
		
	
	Details of expenditure for 2007-08 will not be available until after the end of the fiscal year, the budget for 2007-08 is 0.8 million.
	
		
			  Table 2: Imputed UK share of multilateral official development assistance (O D A) 2004-05 
			   Russia (000) 
			 2004 20,127 
			 2005 16,605 
		
	
	DFID is currently developing detailed plans for allocating its budget over the three-year period 2008-09 to 2010-11 following the outcome of the comprehensive spending review announced in October. Individual country and regional allocations will not be finalised until March 2008.

HEALTH

Accidents: Roads

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many road accident related emergency admissions to hospitals in Tamworth constituency there were in each year since 1997, broken down by  (a) age and  (b) sex.

Ben Bradshaw: The count of finished admission episodes, for emergency admissions where the external cause was 'road traffic accident' (admission methods 21-28), that the former Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth Primary Care Trust (PCT) was responsible for, in each year since 1997-98 for which data are available, broken down by age and sex, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Age 
			   Under 18  Over 18 
			   Female  Male  Female  Male  Unknown 
			 2006-07 * 25 18 57  
			 2005-06 * 10 21 56  
			 2004-05 * 7 21 56  
			 2003-04 * 18 19 49  
			 2002-03 8 16 16 53  
			 2001-02 * 12 25 45  
			 2000-01 11 12 7 53  
			 1999-2000 14 25 24 63  
			 1998-99 8 14 24 45  
			 1997-98 8 20 28 55 * 
			  Notes: 1. For reasons of confidentiality numbers between one and five have been suppressed and shown as * 2. Finished admission episodes (FAE) An FAE is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 3. Cause code The cause code is a supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects. 4. Data quality HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 national health service trusts and PCTs in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. 5. Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed). 6. PCT and strategic health authority (SHA) data quality PCT and SHA data were added to historic data-years in the HES database using 2002-03 boundaries, as a one-off exercise in 2004. The quality of the data on PCT of Treatment and SHA of Treatment are poor in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99, with over a third of all finished episodes having missing values in these years. Data quality of PCT of general practitioner (GP) practice and SHA of GP practice in 1997-98 and 1998-99 are also poor, with a high proportion missing values where practices changed or ceased to exist. There is less change in completeness of the residence-based fields over time, where the majority of unknown values are due to missing postcodes on birth episodes. Users of time series analysis including these years need to be aware of these issues in their interpretation of the data. 7. Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. During the years that these records have been collected the NHS there have been ongoing improvements in quality and coverage. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), the Information Centre for health and social care

Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust: Health Services

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new services and buildings  (a) have been provided and  (b) are planned for the Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust since the approval of the NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust in the area.

Ben Bradshaw: The national health service local improvement finance trusts (LIFTs) are mainly designed to support primary care trusts and local authorities to develop their primary health and community care services. Therefore, no new services and buildings have been provided, or are planned, for Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust through the NHS LIFT established in its area.
	However, Redbridge and Waltham Forest LIFT has delivered 15 million of investment to deliver three new one stop primary care health centres. Barking and Havering LIFT has also delivered 66.5 million investment to deliver eight new facilities open to patients with two more under construction.
	
		
			   Barking and Havering LIFT schemes 
			 Completed Thames View Healthcentre, Barking (Primary Care Centre) 
			  Harold Hill Centre, Gooshays Drive, Harold Hill (Primary Care Centre) 
			  Broad Street Centre, Dagenham (Support facilities for Community Mental Health team) 
			  Cranham (GP/Community services) 
			  Church Elm Lane, Dagenham (GP/Community Services) 
			  South Hornchurch, Rainham (GP/Community Services) 
			  Chadwell Heath Healthcentre (GP/Community services) 
			  Marksgate, Romford (GP/Community services) 
			   
			 Under construction Barking Town Centre (general practitioner (GP)/Community services 
			  Porters Avenue (GP/Community services) 
		
	
	
		
			   Redbridge and Waltham Forest LIFT schemes 
			 Completed Wood Street, Waltham Forest (Primary Care and Children Specialist Health Centre) 
			  Comely Bank, Waltham Forest (GP/Community services) 
			  Manford Way, Hainault (GP/Community services)

Barnet Hospital: Standards

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the quality of  (a) nursing care and  (b) cleaning services at Barnet hospital.

Ann Keen: The quality of nursing care and cleaning services are matters for the local national health service.
	On 5 July 2007, the Healthcare Commission (HCC) issued Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals NHS Trust with an improvement notice.
	The improvement notice related to the 'Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections'. The code outlines compulsory duties to prevent and manage healthcare-associated infections such as meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile. All NHS trusts should be compliant with these duties.
	Further to a follow up visit on 31 October 2007, the HCC announced on 20 December 2007 that the trust had made improvements in infection control and was compliant with the requirements of the improvement notice that had been issued on 5 July.

Barnet Primary Care Trust: Waiting Lists

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce diagnostic waiting times for patients in Barnet primary care trust area; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Rapid accurate diagnosis is key to delivery of the 18 week target. The Department has developed three clinically-led national programmes, in imaging, endoscopy and physiological measurement, to support the national health service in reducing waiting times for diagnostic tests including residents in Barnet primary care trust (PCT).
	The Independent Sector London Diagnostics scheme, offering a range of diagnostic assessments, is also available to patients in the Barnet PCT area. Diagnostics available through the London Diagnostics scheme include magnetic resonance imaging, x-ray, ultrasound, echocardiography, echocardiography (screening), electrocardiogram, blood pressure monitoring, endoscopy and phlebotomy.

Barnet Primary Care Trust: Waiting Lists

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) average and  (b) longest waiting time was in the Barnet Primary Care Trust area for (i) operations for (A) cataracts, (B) heart disease, (C) hip replacement, (ii) cancer, (iii) an MRI scan and (iv) a CT scan in (1) 2006-07, (2) 2007-08 to date and (3) 1997; in each category of treatment how many procedures were conducted; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The following tables show the average (median) and longest waiting times and total admissions in the Barnet Primary Care Trust (PCT) area for the trauma and orthopaedic speciality (including hip replacements) the ophthalmology speciality (including cataract surgery), and the cardiothoracic speciality (including heart surgery) for 2006-07, 2007-08 to date and 1996-97, and waiting times and total activity for MRI and CT scans for 2006-07, 2007-08 to date. Figures for waiting times and activity for MRI and CT scans in 1997 is not available.
	Statistics on average waiting times for cancer patients and average waiting times for different types of cancer treatment are not collected centrally. Cancer waiting times' standards of a maximum wait of 31 days from diagnosis to first cancer treatment, and a maximum wait of 62 days from urgent referral for suspected cancer to first cancer treatment were introduced for all cancer patients from December 2005. In the last quarter (July to September 2007) national performance against these standards was 99.7 per cent. and 97.2 per cent. respectively. This information is not available by individual PCTs.
	Today waiting times are at a record low; patients can expect a maximum 13 week wait for their first out-patient appointment and a maximum six month wait for an operation.
	Latest data show that over half of admitted patients (patients who require admission to hospital for treatment) and over three quarters of non-admitted patients are treated within 18 weeks.
	
		
			  In-patient waiting statistics concerning the trauma and orthopaedic specialty for the Barnet PCT area 
			   Month ending  Area  Median waiting time (weeks)  Longest wait  Total admissions 
			 2007-08 September Barnet PCT 7.3 22-23 weeks 2,701 
			 2006-07 March Barnet PCT 7.1 22-23 weeks 2,747 
			 1996-97 March Barnet HA 18.0 18-20 months 1,825 
		
	
	
		
			  In-patient waiting statistics concerning the cardiothoracic surgery specialty for the Barnet PCT area 
			   Month ending  Area  Median waiting time (weeks)  Longest wait  Total admissions 
			   
			   
			 2007-08 September Barnet PCT n/a 10-11 weeks 49 
			 2006-07 March Barnet PCT n/a 8-9 weeks 162 
			 1996-97 March Barnet HA 13.76 9-11 months 283 
		
	
	
		
			  In-patient waiting statistics concerning the ophthalmology specialty for the Barnet PCT area 
			   Month ending  Area  Median waiting time (weeks)  Longest wait  Total admissions 
			 2007-08 September Barnet PCT 5 22-23 weeks 979 
			 2006-07 March Barnet PCT 5.5 25-26 weeks 1,691 
			 1996-97 March Barnet HA 14.32 12-14 months 1,484 
		
	
	
		
			  Diagnostic waiting statistics concerning MRI scans in the Barnet PCT area 
			   Month ending  Area  Median waiting time (weeks)  Longest wait  Total activity 
			 2007-08 October Barnet PCT 2.8 12-13 weeks 3,914 
			 2006-07 March Barnet PCT 4.5 31-32 weeks 4,928 
		
	
	
		
			  Diagnostic waiting statistics concerning CT scans in the Barnet PCT  a rea 
			   Month ending  Area  Median waiting time (weeks)  Longest wait  Total activity 
			 2007-08 October Barnet PCT 2.4 12-13 weeks 5,394 
			 2006-07 March Barnet PCT 3.2 11-12 weeks 8,011 
			  Notes:  1. The data are reported as a snapshot at a point in time. For this purpose the latest available period within the financial year is used. 2. The figures for trauma and orthopaedics, cardiothoracic and ophthalmology specialities show the median waiting times for patients still waiting for admission at the end of the period stated. In-patient waiting times are measure from decision to admit by the consultant to admission to hospital. 3. Median waiting times are calculated from aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates of the position on average waits. This should be taken into account when interpreting the data. 4. The parliamentary question states heart, hip and cataract operations. These are sub-sets of the cardiothoracic, trauma and orthopaedic and ophthalmology specialities respectively. 5. Data are not collected for the 1997 period for MRI and CT scan waiting times. 6. For the cardiothoracic speciality, when there is less than 50 waiters in the category, no median has been calculated as the small data set may lead to statistical inaccuracies. 7. Activity numbers are provided for MRI and CT scans, and admission data are provided for the trauma and orthopaedics, cardiothoracic and ophthalmology specialities. These terms both directly relate to the number of procedures undertaken.

Bexley Care Trust: Cancer

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by Bexley care trust on cancer services in each of the last three years.

Ben Bradshaw: Expenditure by Bexley care trust on cancers and tumours for the past three financial years is shown in the following table. Figures were collected as part of the programme budgeting returns.
	
		
			  Bexley care trust net expenditure on 'cancer and tumours' 
			  Financial reporting year  Net expenditure (000) 
			 2004-05 15,978 
			 2005-06 16,224 
			 2006-07(1) 15,690 
			 (1) Due to definitional changes in data, it may not be appropriate to compare expenditure in 2006-07 with earlier years.

Chiropody

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to collect centrally information on  (a) the allocation by primary care trusts of funding to chiropody services and  (b) the number of chiropody clinics.

Ann Keen: There are no central plans to collect information about funding for chiropody services or the number of chiropody clinics. It is for primary care trusts in partnership with local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health and to commission services accordingly. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community, including the provision of chiropody.

Death: Barnet

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in improving mortality rates in Barnet for  (a) cancer,  (b) heart disease and  (c) stroke; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Cancer mortality rates can be found in the following table, which gives the age-standardised mortality rate from cancer, for all persons aged under 75 years in Barnet for the years 2002-06:
	
		
			  Age-standardised mortality rate from cancer( 1) , all persons aged under 75 years( 2) , in England, strategic health authorities and primary care organisation( 3) , 2002-06( 4) 
			  Rate per 100,000 (persons) 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barnet 100 105 105 101 99 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes COO to C97. (2) Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (3) Based on boundaries as of 2007. The 152 primary care organisations include 148 primary care trusts (PCTs), and four care organisations (COs). (4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	The Department is committed to reducing the mortality rate from cancer. Major progress has been made over the past 10 years and especially since the publication of the National Health Service Cancer Plan, which set out the first ever comprehensive strategy to tackle cancer and was the first time any Government had drawn up a major programme of action linking prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and research. Significant achievements include:
	extending breast screening to women aged 50 to 70 years. The number of new cancers diagnosed through breast screening has increased by over 60 per cent.;
	rollout of the bowel cancer screening programmethe first programme to target both men and women;
	major reductions in waiting times for patients with suspected cancer referred urgently by their general practitioner's (99 per cent. seen within 14 days, up from 63 per cent. in 1997);
	over 99 per cent. of patients receiving their first cancer treatment within one month of diagnosis (the 31 day target);
	over 97 per cent. of urgently referred patients being treated within two months of referral (the 62 day target);
	expansion of the cancer work force; and
	provision of unprecedented numbers of new equipment.
	With regard to heart disease and stroke, the information requested is not held centrally. However, the Department's target as set out in Our Healthier Nation is to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease and stroke and related diseases) by 40 per cent. in people under 75 by 2010 has been met five years early. The mortality rate has fallen 40.3 per cent. between 2004-06 over the 1995-97 baseline.

Dental Services: Barnet

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve access to NHS dentists in Barnet; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The dental reforms implemented in 2006 gave primary care trusts (PCTs), for the first time, the responsibility for providing or commissioning dental services in their area. It is for PCTs to assess local needs, review current service provision and develop services to meet local needs. Increasing the number of patients seen within national health service dental services is now a formal priority in the NHS Operating Framework for 2008-09 and we have supported this with a very substantial 11 per cent. uplift in overall allocations to PCTs from 1 April 2008.

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff in his Department were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: At the end of 2007, there were 672 personal digital assistants in issue in the Department; 334 to male and 338 to female members of staff. It would incur disproportionate expense to provide the information by gender for each year from 2001 to 2006 as the asset register does not contain an audit trail of allocation to members of staff. Mobile assets are assigned and reassigned as staff join, leave or change roles within the Department.

Eastern Area Strategic Health Authority: Vetting

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals in the Eastern Area Strategic Health Authority have experienced delays in appointing new staff as a result of changes made to the fast track system of Criminal Records Bureau checks.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not held centrally. Staff recruitment is a matter for local NHS employers.

Edgware Hospital: MRSA

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of  (a) MRSA and  (b) C. difficile occurred at Edgware hospital in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08 to date; and if he will make statement.

Ann Keen: The mandatory scheme for surveillance of health care associated infections comprises data from acute NHS hospital trusts. Mandatory surveillance does not cover hospitals, such as Edgware hospital, that are managed by primary care trusts.

Emergency Calls

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many emergency calls were made to the ambulance service in each region in each of the last five  (a) years and  (b) new year periods; and how many of these calls were for alcohol-related health problems in each case.

Ben Bradshaw: Information on the number of emergency calls made to the ambulance service in each region between 2002-03 and 2006-07 (the latest data available) can be found in the following table:
	
		
			  Emergency calls received 
			  thousand 
			  Ambulance service  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 England 4,934.7 5,322.8 5,623.8 5,960.1 6,333.4 
			 North East 244.1 262.7 279.7 291.8 362.0 
			 North West 705.8 751.2 779.7 832.0 887.0 
			 Yorkshire 469.9 503.8 522.6 552.6 555.5 
			 East Midlands 419.7 451.3 473.2 459.7 523.3 
			 West Midlands 411.0 441.5 472.8 511.7 541.5 
			 Staffordshire 121.0 125.0 134.8 156.3 125.3 
			 East of England 436.2 492.1 543.3 581.1 625.6 
			 London 1,030.6 1,088.6 1,153.9 1,231.6 1,288.8 
			 South East Coast 403.3 436.1 460.3 493.0 494.4 
			 South Central 277.8 323.1 330.0 336.6 356.1 
			 Great Western 179.2 189.0 200.9 219.8 232.5 
			 South Western 224.9 246.6 259.5 280.5 328.1 
			 Isle of Wight 11.1 11.8 13.0 13.4 13.3 
		
	
	The information in the table is taken from the latest Statistical bulletin Ambulance Services, England 2006-07, published by the Information Centre. The data are split by ambulance trust configuration at 31 March 2007. However, it should be noted that there were mergers of the majority of NHS trusts providing ambulance services in 2006 (with the exception of London and the Isle of Wight, where the boundaries did not change). For the other trusts, excluding London and the Isle of Wight, the data up to and including 2005-06 for the new trusts are based upon data provided by the trusts in their previous configurations to arrive at the composite figures shown. In addition, with the exception of Great Western Ambulance Trust (which was established on 1 April 2006) the new trusts were established on 1 July 2006 and therefore 2006-07 data for those trusts consist of similarly mapped composite data from 1 April to 30 June 2007 together with the actual figures returned by the new trusts for the remainder of 2006-07. Further details about how the figures were arrived at can be found at page 1, and the footnote to table 3 of Ambulance Services, England 2006-07.
	There is no defined 'new year' period in the collection of the number of emergency calls. Information on the number of emergency calls that were alcohol-related is not collected centrally.

Emergency Calls: Standards

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will collect information on the average response time to emergency calls by each national health service ambulance trust.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has no plans to do so. The ambulance response time data that are collected, and which include the number of emergency calls received by ambulance trusts across England and their performances against the targets set, are published annually. The latest statistical bulletin, Ambulance Services, England, 2006-07 was published in June 2007 and is available in the Library and on the Information Centre for health and social care website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs

Gastrointestinal System: Health Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on treating gastrointestinal disease in England in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The Department published figures in the annual resource accounts showing the following gross expenditure on 'problems of the gastro intestinal system' for the last four financial years.
	
		
			  Financial reporting year  Gross expenditure (000) 
			 2003-04 3,164,671 
			 2004-05 3,526,063 
			 2005-06 3,973,450 
			 2006-07 3,851,576 
		
	
	The figures are calculated from programme budgeting data, which were collected for the first time in financial year 2003-04.
	Comparison between 2005-06 and 2006-07 figures is not straightforward due to a combination of factors:
	the use of new Healthcare Resource Group data (HRG4) to calculate costs;
	a reassignment of primary diagnosis codes to programme budgeting category;
	the introduction of the new programme budgeting sub-categories; and
	a change in the methodology for calculating non-admitted patient care costs.

General Practitioners: Barnet

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve access to GP services in Barnet; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: It is the responsibility of the local national health service to improve access to general practitioner (GP) services in their own areas.
	However, we are advised by NHS London that 2007-08 will see an extra 250,000 made available to practices by Barnet primary care trust (PCT) to improve access to GP services. From 2008-09, 400,000 will be accessible on a recurrent basis to be mainly used to keep surgeries open longer.
	The Department's aim nationally is that at least 50 per cent. of GP practices in each PCT area will be providing extended opening hours at weekends and/or at weekday evenings offering access to routine appointments, based on patients' expressed views and preferences.

Health Professions: Employment

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in implementing the Social Partnership Forum's action plan to maximise employment opportunities for newly qualified health care professionals; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Since the Partnership Agreement was launched in February 2007, the Social Partnership Forum has overseen the development and promulgation of work supporting the maximisation of graduate employment opportunities and launched an action plan in April 2007.
	NHS Employers is responsible for monitoring progress against each of the action plan recommendations.
	The Social Partnership Forum considered a draft interim report in November 2007, which will be published in due course.
	Since July 2007, the Department has monitored the number of candidates registered in the newly qualified health care professional pools. There has been a 19 per cent. reduction registered between 11 July 2007 and 7 January 2008.

Health Services: Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations his Department has received from the National Screening Committee in favour of  (a) universal and  (b) targeted screening for (i) heart disease, (ii) kidney disease, (iii) stroke and (iv) diabetes.

Ann Keen: The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommended to the Department that screening certain subgroups of the population who are at high risk of type 2 diabetes is feasible, but that it should be undertaken as part of a vascular risk management programme in which the whole population should be offered a risk assessment that could include, among other risk factors, measurement of blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose.
	The National Service Framework for Kidney Disease in England recommends that people at increased risk of developing or having undiagnosed chronic kidney disease, especially people with diabetes or hypertension are identified, assessed and their condition managed to preserve kidney function.
	Following this, the Department is developing detailed proposals for the programme in England and the UK NSC is working with them.

Hearing Aids: Digital Technology

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are used for determining funding for digital hearing aids and NHS audiology services.

Ivan Lewis: Funding for hearing aids and audiology services is provided to primary care trusts (PCTs) as part of their general allocations. It is the responsibility of local health organisations to determine the level of audiology funding based on their knowledge of the needs of their local populations.
	The PCT general allocations are calculated on a weighted capitation basis.

Heart Diseases: Health Services

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to co-ordinate local NHS trusts' cardiac rehabilitation programmes;
	(2)  what steps his Department plans to take to assist local NHS trusts to meet the target for the availability of cardiac rehabilitation services set out in the National Service Framework 2003.

Ann Keen: Cardiac rehabilitation is an evidence based, cost effective and life saving treatment, delivered by nurses and professionals allied to medicine. At best, it is multi-disciplinary, helping with the medical, behavioural, psychological and social restoration of the whole patient. Nurses and physiotherapists have key roles to play but others such as pharmacists, dieticians and psychologists should also be involved.
	Chapter seven of the Coronary Heart Disease National Service Framework, published in March 2000, issued appropriate guidance to the national health service about the provision of cardiac rehabilitation services. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guideline 48, MI: secondary prevention was subsequently issued in May 2007. This provided updated guidance to the NHS on secondary prevention in primary and secondary care for patients following heart attack and emphasised the importance of rehabilitation for these patients.
	The Heart Improvement programme, an NHS support team for cardiac networks, includes cardiac rehabilitation within its work programme. A new National Cardiac Rehabilitation Audit has been introduced across England, jointly sponsored by the British Heart Foundation and the Healthcare Commission. This will provide stronger evidence on effectiveness and encourage providers to appraise and improve their cardiac rehabilitation services.
	Putting guidance into practice is a matter for the NHS, working in partnership with stakeholders, including cardiac networks, and the local community. It is the responsibility of NHS organisations to plan and develop services based on their specific knowledge and expertise.

Heart Diseases: Health Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital coronary care units have closed in the last 10 years.

Ann Keen: holding answer 21 January 2008
	This information is not collected centrally. The decision to close hospital coronary care units is a matter for the local national health service.

Hospital Wards: Gender

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made on the phasing out of mixed sex wards in NHS hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Guidance issued to the national health service requires the provision of single sex accommodation, which can take a number of forms. NHS trusts may provide single rooms, single sex bays within a mixed ward, single-sex wards or combinations of these types. We do not collect information on the number of trusts who have mixed sex wards per se.
	The NHS Operating Framework for 2008-09 includes a requirement for primary care trusts to agree, publish and implement stretching local plans for improvement, with identified time scales and monitoring mechanisms. The NHS Institute for Improvement and Innovation published Privacy and Dignitythe elimination of mixed sex accommodation. Good practice guidance and self assessment checklist, in December 2007 to support the NHS in delivering this.

Hospital Wards: Gender

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had on the phasing out of mixed sex wards in hospitals; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many mixed sex wards there are in  (a) England and  (b) Greater London, broken down by London borough.

Ann Keen: Single-sex accommodation should be the norm for elective care, and remains the ideal for all admissions. We have made this clear in this year's operating framework.
	Guidance issued to the national health service requires the provision of single sex accommodation, which can take a number of forms. NHS trusts may provide single rooms, single-sex bays within a mixed ward, single-sex wards or combinations of these types. We do not collect information on the number of trusts who have mixed sex wards per se.
	The NHS Operating Framework for 2008-09 includes a requirement for primary care trusts to agree, publish and implement stretching local plans for improvement, with identified timescales and monitoring mechanisms.

Hospitals: Cleaning Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much additional funding has been given to  (a) Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust and  (b) all other hospital trusts for a deep clean.

Ann Keen: Information on the costs of individual trust plans for deep cleaning is not held by the Department. All trusts were required to submit and agree their deep clean plans, including costs, with primary care trusts and providers in their area by 14 December 2007 and this process has been monitored and assessed by the strategic health authorities.
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement issued on 21 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 134-35WS, in which the Department made available information on the funding to support the deep clean of the national health service at regional level.

Hospitals: Cleaning Services

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when  (a) West Suffolk,  (b) Addenbrookes and  (c) Ipswich hospitals will receive a deep clean;
	(2)  how many hospitals in the eastern area have been deep cleaned in the last 12 months.

Ann Keen: All trusts were required to submit and agree their deep clean plans with primary care trusts in their area by 14 December 2007 and this process has been monitored and assessed by strategic health authorities (SHAs). An interim local progress report about the implementation of deep cleans will be published by SHAs shortly. All deep cleans will be complete by the end of March 2008.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) mean and  (b) median (i) inpatient and (ii) outpatient waiting times were in each year from 1993-94 to 2006-07, as given by (A) Korner and (B) Hospital Episodes Statistics data.

Ben Bradshaw: The figures are shown in the following tables.
	It should be noted that Korner data measure the numbers still waiting at the end of a period, while Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) measure the time waited for patients admitted during a year. HES figures do not take into account periods of suspension for medical and social reasons.
	The NHS has delivered access targets through better waiting list management. This means that routine cases are seen in turn once clinical priorities have been treated. Median waits initially increase as the longest wait patients are treated and this is reflected in the HES figures.
	
		
			  Inpatient mean and medians in weeks from 1994 
			   Korner aggregate returns  HES 
			  Year ending  Median commissioner  Mean commissioner  Median provider  Mean provider 
			 March 1994 14.4 20.2 5.9 13.0 
			 March 1995 12.5 17.8 6.1 12.9 
			 March 1996 11.8 15.9 6.0 12.6 
			 March 1997 13.2 18.1 5.7 11.8 
			 March 1998 14.9 20.0 5.9 12.8 
			 March 1999 12.9 18.6 6.4 14.1 
			 March 2000 12.9 18.7 6.1 12.9 
			 March 2001 12.6 18.1 6.3 13.3 
			 March 2002 12.7 17.4 6.7 13.7 
			 March 2003 11.9 15.6 7.0 14.1 
			 March 2004 10.2 12.4 7.1 13.6 
			 March 2005 8.5 10.6 7.4 12.0 
			 March 2006 7.3 8.7 7.3 11.1 
			 March 2007 6.2 7.4 7.0 10.4 
			 October 2007 5.0 6.2 n/a n/a 
			  Notes: 1. HES figures relate to patients admitted during financial year ending March. 2. Korner figures relate to numbers waiting as at 31 March (or at 31 October for the current figures).  Source: QF01 return, HES. 
		
	
	
		
			  Outpatient mean and medians in weeks from 1994 
			   Korner aggregate returns  HES 
			  Year ending  Median commissioner  Mean commissioner  Median provider  Mean provider 
			 March 1994 5.4 9.4 n/a n/a 
			 March 1995 5.8 9.1 n/a n/a 
			 March 1996 6.1 8.7 n/a n/a 
			 March 1997 6.1 8.6 n/a n/a 
			 March 1998 6.4 9.2 n/a n/a 
			 March 1999 6.9 10.0 n/a n/a 
			 March 2000 7.4 11.1 n/a n/a 
			 March 2001 7.4 10.8 n/a n/a 
			 March 2002 7.3 10.4 n/a n/a 
			 March 2003 7.2 8.7 n/a n/a 
			 March 2004 7.0 7.9 n/a n/a 
			 March 2005 7.0 7.5 7.0 8.3 
			 March 2006 6.5 6.9 6.9 7.8 
			 March 2007 5.0 5.6 n/a n/a 
			  Notes: 1. HES figures relate to patients admitted during financial year ending March. Outpatient HES only available from 2004-05. 2. Korner figures prior to March 1998 are provider based.  Source: QM08R return, HES.

Incontinence: Medical Equipment

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what patients groups and professional and industry representatives he has met in relation to his Department's consultation arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and incontinence appliances and related services to primary care.

Dawn Primarolo: On 9 March 2006, the former Minister of State met Lord Campbell-Savours and a representative from the Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Support Group. The Disability Lobby raised the review during a meeting with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Ivan Lewis) on 26 April 2007.

Lambert Hospital

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has for the future of the Lambert hospital;
	(2)  what the staffing levels are at Lambert hospital in Thirsk.

Ann Keen: The organisation or reconfiguration of local services is a matter for the national health service locally; in this instance the North Yorkshire and York primary care trust (PCT) working in conjunction with clinicians, patients and other stakeholders.
	Information on staffing levels at the Lambert hospital is not held centrally. This can instead be obtained direct from the North Yorkshire and York PCT.

Liver Diseases

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps  (a) he has taken in each year since 1997 and  (b) plans to take in each of the next three years to reduce the incidence of liver disease; what discussions (i) he, (ii) Ministers in his Department and (iii) officials have had since January 2007 with representatives of  (A) the medical profession and  (B) the brewing industry on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: We are concerned about the increasing incidence ofand mortality fromliver disease. Since 1997, we have taken important action on a number of fronts to combat the primary causes of liver disease, namely alcohol misuse, viral hepatitis and obesity.
	In 2004, the Government published the first ever cross-Government alcohol strategy. The Government's renewed alcohol strategy, 'Safe. Sensible. Socialthe next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy', published in June 2007, builds on this and focuses on 18-24 year-old binge drinkers, young people under 18 who drink alcohol and harmful drinkers.
	In 2007, the Department negotiated a ground breaking agreement with the drinks industry and by the end of this year we expect the majority of alcoholic drink labels to include alcohol unit information.
	As part of the recent spending review, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that a new national priority for the national health service would be to reduce the rate of hospital admissions for alcohol related conditions. This is expected to encourage earlier identification of, and intervention for, people who drink too much, linked to advice and support from general practitioners or hospitalsshown to be the best way of reducing the kind of 'everyday' drinking which, over time, can lead to liver disease and other problems.
	The Government will shortly be embarking on a 10 million advertising campaign on alcohol and healththe biggest ever. This will focus on daily drinking guidelines, so that people are better able to estimate how much they are drinking.
	We have in place a range of measures to prevent and control Hepatitis B and C, which can cause serious liver disease. For example, the Hepatitis C Action Plan for England, launched in 2004, sets out a framework of action to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C, and is supported by a centrally funded awareness campaign.
	Evidence shows a direct link between obesity and fatty liver disease. Reducing obesity across the population is a key Government priority. Action to tackle obesity in both adults and children will be taken forward through the new cross-Government obesity strategy.
	In addition, we are considering the possibility of developing a strategy for liver disease, which would cover health promotion as well as the full range of health services. Decisions will be informed by preliminary work undertaken in 2007, which has included a series of informal meetings with members of the medical profession and other stakeholders.
	I recently met with Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, to discuss tackling alcohol related harm. Since January 2007, Ministers and officials have also met with the Food and Drink Federation, Alcohol Concern, the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, British retail Consortium and other representatives of the alcohol industry.

Macular Degeneration

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on decisions relating to treatment for macular degeneration.

Ann Keen: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published a second Appraisal Consultation Document (ACD) on Lucentis (ranibizumab) and Macugen (pegaptanib) for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration. Stakeholders had until 14 January 2008 to provide comments on the ACD and these comments will be considered by NICE's Appraisal Committee before the guidance is finalised. NICE expects to publish its final guidance later in 2008.
	Further detailed information on this appraisal is available on NICE's website at:
	http://guidance.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=207024

Mental Health

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps have been taken to increase provision of mental health in-reach teams in prison for those with mental illnesses which are not severe or enduring;
	(2)  how much funding is allocated for mental health in-reach teams in prisons in 2007-08.

Ivan Lewis: Since 2005-06, primary care trusts have been allocated 20 million a year for mental health in-reach teams in prisons.
	This investment funds 102 mental health in-reach teams, which employ 360 (whole time equivalent) mental health staff.
	In addition, this year an additional allocation of 2.5 million was made to further develop mental health services within male and female local prisons in line with guidance set out in the Offender Mental Health Care Pathway, published in 2005 by the Department.

Mental Health Services: Greater London

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mental health wards have been closed in hospitals in Greater London since 1997, broken down by primary care trust.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 14 January 2008
	The information requested is not collected centrally.

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is expected to complete its assessment of Sunitinib.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising sunitinib (Sutent) along with three other drugs, bevacizumab, sorafenib and temsirolimus, for renal cell carcinoma. We understand that subject to appeals, NICE expects to publish final guidance to the NHS in early 2009. Further information on this appraisal can be found on NICE's website at:
	www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=byIDo=11817
	The Department has made it clear to national health service organisations that it is not acceptable to refuse to fund a treatment simply because if has not yet been appraised by NICE.

NHS: Cleaning Summit

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date the NHS chief executive's Cleaning Summit will be held.

Ann Keen: The date for the Cleaning Summit will be finalised shortly.

NHS: Complaints

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints about care in the national health service are under investigation by the Healthcare Commission; and what the average length of time between the start of an investigation and the publication of a report on it has been in the last 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: As at 17 January 2008, the Healthcare Commission had 1,795 open independent reviews about national health service care. This compares with approximately 4,000 at the same time in 2007. At the end of December 2007, the average length of time for independent reviews was less than four months; this compares with 7.2 months at the end of December 2006.

NHS: Disease Control

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance he has issued to the NHS on procedures for induction and training on infection prevention and control for staff.

Ann Keen: There is a statutory obligation for all national health service organisations under the code of practice for the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections, to ensure that all staff are suitably educated in the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections. In addition, the Knowledge and Skills Framework includes health, safety and security as a core aspect of all jobs under Agenda for Change. The Knowledge and Skills Framework makes clear that it is vital that each member of staff takes responsibility for promoting the health, safety and security of patients, clients, the public, colleagues and themselves. This would include reducing the risks of healthcare associated infections.
	Skills for Health has developed competence frameworks and national occupational standards for healthcare staff in all sectors of the workforce. These include competencies and national occupational standards in infection prevention and control. More information on this can be found on the Skills for Health website at:
	www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/page/competences/completed-competencesprojects/list/infection-prevention-and-control#
	The Department is currently working together with partners in the Social Partnership forum, such as trade unions and employers, to develop and implement workforce policies in relation to tackling healthcare associated infections. This will include producing a guide this year for local employers on how Human Resources processes such as training, induction and disciplinary action can be best used to encourage good practice in infection control.
	In addition, the Department is working with undergraduate and postgraduate deans, the General Medical Council, the Medical Royal Colleges and the Nursing and Midwifery Council to ensure that training in infection prevention and control is embedded at all stages of medical and nurse training.
	There are a number of resources that are available to train staff in best practice in infection prevention and control. These include:
	the NHS Infection Control programme, a free online resource funded designed to increase understanding of infection control practice in clinical and non-clinical staff this is available at: www.infectioncontrol.nhs.uk;
	the National Resource for Infection Control, a one-stop shop for infection control guidance which is available at: www.nric.org.uk; and
	online training for doctors on methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile which is available at: www.doctors.net.uk.

NHS: Drugs

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from manufacturers of medical consumables on the classification of their products by his Department; what steps he plans to take in response; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Following publication of Arrangements under the Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and incontinence appliances and related services to Primary Care revised proposals on 6 September 2007, the Department received a number of representations that indicated that some errors highlighted in the item classification table in the November 2006 consultation had not been corrected in the latest published consultation document.
	In summary, 478 editorial changes have been requested; the majority could be considered errors, for example incorrect reference codes.
	In addition, 124 omissions have been identified mainly as a result of companies change of ownership during the course of this consultation.
	These will be corrected when the classification is revisited.

NHS: Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what public funds in addition to those announced in the 2007 Spending Review have been allocated to the  (a) programme of preventative care,  (b) checks in GP surgeries and  (c) screening programme announced by the Prime Minister on 7 January 2008;
	(2)  how much funding will be provided for the screening programme announced by the Prime Minister on 7 January 2008.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 14 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1033W.

NHS: Greater London

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much revenue was received from the sale of NHS property in London in each year since May 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: Information is collected on the cash receipts from the sale of NHS capital assets in annual audited summarisation schedules. Information is not available on the sale of assets which have not been capitalised. The following table includes sales by health authorities, strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and national health service trusts in London from 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2007 by financial year. Receipts include sales to other NHS organisations as well as to the private sector. Information is not held prior to 2000 by individual NHS bodies therefore 2000-01 is the earliest year which can be provided.
	
		
			  Receipts from the sale of NHS capital assets in London 
			   Receipts from all capital assets (000) 
			 2000-01 141,962 
			 2001-02 136,075 
			 2002-03 93,876 
			 2003-04 142,550 
			 2004-05 143,272 
			 2005-06 123,951 
			 2006-07 84,122

NHS: Negligence

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to paragraph 21, page 67 of his Department's resource accounts for 2006-07, on what basis his Department calculated the periods over which clinical negligence provisions are expected to be payable.

Ann Keen: All clinical negligence claims are managed and accounted for by the NHS Litigation Authority. In arriving at its valuation of provisions when constructing its own annual accounts the authority effectively reviews the value of individual reported claims against the national health service.
	This review is part of the continuous legal process adopted by the authority and includes an assessment of the likely timing of settlement of each claim, ie the point at which any damages payable are likely to be agreed along with associated third party costs. For claims not yet reported but where the negligent incident is considered to have already occurred the authority makes a global incurred but not reported (IBNR) provision in its accounts. This IBNR provision is an actuarially assessed value based upon extensive data, held by the authority, relating to the level of reporting of negligent incidents within the English NHS.
	The value of this IBNR provision is also subject to an assessment of likely timing both in regard to when the claims are likely to become reported but also when they are likely to settle.
	Essentially the authority then combines the individual claims data for all known claims with the global IBNR calculation in order to arrive at a forecast regarding the future timing and value of the settlement of claims against the NHS and it is these results which are reported within paragraph 21 on page 67.

NHS: Negligence

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to paragraph 21, page 67 of his Department's resource accounts for 2006-07, for what reason provision for clinical negligence was increased during 2006-07.

Ann Keen: The reporting of clinical negligence provisions referred to in paragraph 21 are essentially data reported from the activities of the NHS Litigation Authority. There are several reasons for the increases in value of clinical negligence provisions in any given financial period and during 2006-07 the main ones were:
	the value of new claims reported to the authority where the negligent treatment had been delivered in the same financial period, ie where a patient has brought a claim for negligence in the same financial year that they allege negligent treatment. (Claims reported in 2006-07 where the negligent treatment was in an earlier financial year would already have been provided for in the accounts of the authority as incurred but not reported (IBNR));
	where the value of existing claims has required alteration due to improved or further knowledge regarding the individual claim, eg where the courts have established new values for specific heads of damage or where original valuations excluded damage which is subsequently agreed to be relevant through the litigation process; and
	actuarial review of IBNR suggests that forecast values of claims to be reported in the future require amendment, for example because claim reporting patterns appear to suggest more claims than originally forecast are being reported for a particular financial period or periods.

NHS: PFI

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) primary care trusts,  (b) hospitals and  (c) other NHS bodies are involved in litigation with private finance initiative contractors.

Ben Bradshaw: There are no instances of legal proceedings taking place between an national health service body and a private finance initiative contractor.

NHS: Standards

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure patients  (a) at Barnet and Chase Farm hospital,  (b) at the Royal Free hospital,  (c) at Edgware hospital and  (d) in the NHS (i) are treated with dignity and respect and (ii) have their human rights observed.

Ben Bradshaw: Treating service users with dignity and respect is an important part of hospital care. Hospitals are aware of the need to improve the way in which services are offered to promote dignity and are monitored against it through Healthcare Commission inspections.
	I understand that in the most recent Healthcare Commission assessments, for 2006-07, Barnet primary care trust, Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals NHS trust and Royal Free Hampstead NHS trust all met all of the assessments criteria that relate to dignity and respect.

Northwick Park Hospital: Maternity Services

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in improving maternity services at Northwick Park hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The provision of maternity services at Northwick Park hospital is a matter for the local national health service.
	In 2005, the Department introduced special measures at the maternity unit at Northwick Park hospital following a report from the Healthcare Commission. Following improvements to the service, these were lifted on 30 September 2006.
	We have been informed that the NHS Litigation Authority has recently awarded the maternity unit at Northwick Park hospital level 2, the highest level being 3, in the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trustsa national scheme to gauge the safety of clinical care, meaning that the
	'maternity service proactively uses internal and external information to improve clinical care'.

Nurse Family Partnerships

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to extend the services offered by nurse-family partnerships.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	Over the 2007 spending review period we will be investing 30 million to:
	Conduct the final year of the small scale testing phase of the family nurse partnership (called nurse-family partnership in the US), begun in March 2007 on 10 sites in England and running until March 2009;
	increase the number of sites testing and delivering the family nurse partnership intervention in England by 20 sites in 2008-09, with the decision about possible further expansion in subsequent years being informed by evaluation outcomes from operating the first 30 sites;
	conduct a research trial into the impact of the family nurse partnership in England; and
	support integration of the family nurse partnership into the universal child health promotion programme.

Nurses: Training

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many training posts for nurses specialising in  (a) inflammatory bowel disease,  (b) upper gastrointestinal cancer,  (c) lower gastrointestinal cancer,  (d) stoma care and  (e) liver disease there were in the last five years.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally.
	The annual national health service workforce census does not separately identify the number of post-registration training posts from the rest of the nursing workforce.
	The Government have supported the development of a range of specialist roles within nursing. However it is for local NHS organisations to commission training places and to deploy specialist nurses in accordance with their local needs.

Osteoporosis: Females

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women have been diagnosed with osteoporotic fractures in each age cohort in the London region in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is not held centrally.

Physiotherapy: Barnet

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve access to physiotherapy services in Barnet; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The provision of physiotherapy services in Barnet is the responsibility of the local national health service.
	Nationally, the Department is implementing a therapies improvement programme to improve the available information and data management, and improve access to services provided by allied health professionals. This includes the development of a tool designed to improve access to physiotherapy services.
	The Department is also collaborating with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy to pilot introducing self-referral to physiotherapy.

Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Stanmore

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital, Stanmore.

Ben Bradshaw: The future of the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital (RNOH) is a matter for the local national health service (NHS).
	However, I am informed that NHS London's Capital Investments Committee discussed proposals for the future of the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital in a meeting on 14 January 2008. The Capital Investments Committee confirmed that it is seeking an outline business case for development of the RNOH's Stanmore site. NHS London expects to receive a fully worked up outline business case from the Trust by the end of February 2008.

Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of adults who received a regular check up on the NHS in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many more adults in each year from 2007-08 to 2010-11 he expects will receive a regular check-up on the NHS; and how frequently each adult will receive these check-ups;
	(3)  by what date he expects his programme for every adult to receive a regular check-up on the NHS to be fully implemented;
	(4)  what guidance he has issued to trusts to ensure that every adult receives a regular NHS check-up.

Ben Bradshaw: The General Medical Services contract requires general practitioner practices to:
	invite all newly registered patients for a consultation within six months of registration;
	provide, on request, a consultation to all patients aged 75 or over who have not had a consultation within the last 12 months; and
	provide, on request, a consultation for patients aged 16 to 74 who have not had a consultation within the last three years.
	There are no data collected centrally on the number of adults who receive such consultations.
	The Department is currently developing proposals for a screening programme. The purpose of the screening programme will be to identify people's levels of risk for cardiac and vascular disease so that they can be offered preventive measures.
	The exact nature of a vascular risk assessment and management programmeand the operational timescales for implementing the programmeare still the subject of developmental work.